African news. The key suspect in the murder of LGBTQ activist Edwin Chiloba will be arraigned before a court on Monday as police officers continue investigations. The person accused of killing him is a bit too close to home.
Who killed Edwin Chiloba?
Edwin Chiloba’s roommate and best friend, Jackton Odhiambo (24), has been arrested after he was identified as the main suspect in the gruesome murder of the Eldoret based model and Fashion designer. Jackton, who goes by the moniker Iam Lizer, is being held at the police station.
Uasin Gishu Director of Criminal Investigations, Peter Kimulwo, said Odhiambo will be arraigned alongside three other suspects said to be his accomplices. Police have also seized a car that is suspected to have been used in carrying Chiloba’s body which was later dumped by the roadside.
According to local new outlet Capital news, the suspect confessed to have murdered Chiloba as revenge for betraying him
Mr Odhiambo confessed to killing the model over allegations that he had cheated on him and police revealed that he had executed the murder with the help of two of his friends who are still at large.
A team of forensic experts from Nairobi was expected to travel to Eldoret to assist in the investigations.
UPDATE: 3 more suspects were arrested Saturday in probe into the brutal murder LGBTQ activist Edwin Kiprotich Kiptoo aka Edwin Chiloba. This brings to four, the number of those in custody, police said.
The three were arrested for assisting in carrying a metal box that was used in disposing of the body of Chiloba. The three are young men, two of whom are under 18 years, police said.
What was the scene that led to Chiloba’s death?
One of the neighbours says he heard noises and a fight in the house where Chiloba and Jackton lived. A scream followed and then total silence on that same night Chiloba was seen alive.
The caretaker of the residential area says Jackton Odhiambo was spotted with the same metallic box in which the model’s body was stashed. Neighbours say they saw the box being brought down the stairs. The caretaker called the police after the box was discovered and recorded a statement.
“I called the OCS who asked me to show up today. I met with his friends at the station. They said the box they saw in the house was the one that came down at night. They saw it clearly. The person carrying it appeared to be Jackton, according to what they shared with me.”
The caretaker narrated that there was a strong stench coming from the house. When queried on this fact, Jackton said a rat had died under one of the seats.
“One neighbour had complained of foul smell and I told him I would try to find out what was wrong. The smell was strong when I went next to Chiloba’s house. Jackton had indicated they were moving but when I asked what that could be he said a rat had died under one of the seats but had been removed though the stench remained.”
It has also been established that after Chiloba went missing, Jackton continued using his phone to make calls and mobile transactions.
What happened to Edwin Chiloba?
On the morning of 4th Jan 2023, the body of LGBTQ activist Edwin Chiloba was found dead and the body disposed of by the killer in a most strange and unusual way – it was stuffed inside a metal box and dumped on the side of the road.
The Uasin Gishu Director of Criminal Investigations, Peter Kimulwo said, preliminary findings show the deceased appeared to have been strangled and one eye was gouged out.
Neighbours say they had seen the suspect with the metal box a day earlier.
Find out more in the article below:
Who was Jackton Odhiambo to Edwin Chiloba?
Odhiambo had been living with the deceased for a year in Eldoret and the two were apparently a couple. Odhiambo is a Nairobi based freelance photographer and had joined the deceased for New Year celebrations.
Chiloba’s caretaker Alex Nyamweya said that Odhiambo called him using Chiloba’s phone January informing him that he was vacating the house they lived in.
Police officers informed local media outlets that the suspect had vacated the house with immediate effect.