Edwin Chiloba's killer sentenced to 50 years in prison for murdering the LGBTQ+ activist

The roommate and suspected partner of an LGBTQ+ activist in Kenya has been sentenced to 50 years in prison for his murder.

Photographer Jacktone Odhiambo was found guilty earlier this month of killing 25-year-old Edwin Kiprotich Kipruto, better known as Edwin Chiloba, nearly two years after the activist's body was found discarded in a metal box near where he attended university in January, 2023. The two were reportedly in a sexual relationship.

While the sentence for murder in Kenya is death, and the country has not abolished the death penalty, capital punishment has not been used in the nation since 1987. Judge Reuben Nyakundi said he handed down the 50-year sentence based on the "diabolical manner" of the murder.

"I have considered all factors and found that Odhiambo was a vengeful person who committed the killing of his close friend," the judge, via the BBC.

Chiloba was found with socks stuffed into his mouth and a piece of denim fabric covering his mouth and nose. The metal box his body was concealed in was seen being tossed from a vehicle on Kipenyo-Kaptinga road in Mokombet in the western city of Eldoret. There were also signs Chiloba was sexually assaulted before his death.

Same-sex sexual relations are illegal in Kenya under colonial laws from the British, and are punishable by up to 14 years in prison, though there is no available data on convictions.

The National Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission praised the sentence in a statement, while emphasizing the lingering effect of Chiloba's death on the country's LGBTQ+ community.

"The judge's comments serve as a somber reminder of the devastating loss to Chiloba's family and the wider community. After a lengthy legal battle, the decision brings some measure of justice, though the pain of the loss remains profound," the group wrote.

"The Commission welcomes the conclusion of this harrowing chapter with the sentencing of Jacktone Odhiambo," it continued. "However, we reaffirm our commitment to continue to agitate for stronger protections for LGBTIQ+ Kenyans, ensuring justice and safety for every member of our society!