A Kenyan court has sentenced Jacktone Odhiambo to 50 years in prison for the murder of Edwin Chiloba, a prominent LGBTQ+ activist whose body was found in a metal box in January 2023.
The High Court in Eldoret delivered the verdict Monday, concluding a case that drew international attention to LGBTQ+ rights in Kenya, where same-sex relationships are criminalised and societal attitudes remain deeply conservative.
Odhiambo, who was Chiloba’s housemate, denied involvement in the killing. However, DNA evidence, including samples found on the victim’s body and witness testimonies, led to his conviction.
Witnesses reported hearing an argument between the two men before Chiloba’s death and later saw Odhiambo moving the metal box containing his body.
Justice Reuben Nyakundi described the murder as premeditated, stating that Odhiambo had waited for the two to return home from a nightclub before attacking Chiloba. The court noted that Chiloba had defensive wounds, indicating he tried to fight back.
The court did not establish a motive for the killing but noted evidence of an intimate relationship between the two men. Despite calls for the killing to be recognised as a hate crime, police ruled out such a motive during the investigation.
Chiloba had been a well-known figure in Kenya’s LGBTQ+ community, advocating against discrimination in a country where President William Ruto has dismissed LGBTQ+ rights as a “nonissue.”
The sentencing brings partial closure to a case that highlighted the vulnerabilities faced by LGBTQ+ individuals in Kenya. Advocacy groups continue to call for systemic reforms to protect marginalised communities from violence and discrimination.
Odhiambo retains the right to appeal his sentence, but the case has reignited conversations about justice, safety, and equality for LGBTQ+ people in Kenya.
