Jacktone Odhiambo Sentenced to 50 Years for Murder of LGBTQ Activist Edwin Chiloba

Isaac Kogei

 

Eldoret court has sentenced Jacktone Odhiambo to 50 years in prison for the murder of LGBTQ activist Edwin Kiptoo Chiloba.

 

The ruling was delivered by Justice Reuben Nyakundi, who described the crime as a brutal, premeditated act of murder.

 

Justice Nyakundi stated that Odhiambo had shown no genuine remorse for the crime and noted that the accused deserved the death penalty.

 

 

However, due to Kenya’s moratorium on capital punishment, a 50-year prison term was imposed instead.

 

“This was a case of aggravated homicide—a murder that was planned and executed with extreme brutality,” said Nyakundi.

 

“The middle ground between the death penalty and life imprisonment is that the accused serves 50 years in jail.”

 

The court heard that Chiloba’s death was particularly heinous, with the accused suffocating him by inserting six pairs of socks into his throat, ultimately denying him oxygen.

 

 

Before sentencing, Gaudensia Chelimo, a cousin of the deceased, pleaded with the court to impose a death sentence or life imprisonment, citing the devastating loss to their family.

 

“Edwin was the only son to his father and passed away before starting his own family. His death has wiped out an entire lineage,” she said.

 

State counsel Mark Mugun supported the family’s call for a life sentence but noted the court’s discretion in determining the penalty.

 

Chiloba’s  body was found stashed ina metallic box somewhere in Kipkenyo of Kapseret subcounty  in early 2023 and sparked outrage while highlighting  the dangers faced by LGBTQ individuals in Kenya.