In a case that has sparked worldwide outcry, a murder suspect has appeared in a Kenyan court facing charges in the killing of prominent LGBTQ activist Edwin Chiloba. Despite activists’ claims of a hate crime, authorities have dismissed the notion, saying the murder was linked to a love triangle.
According to Peter Kimulwo, Uasin Gichu county head of investigations, the police have ruled out the murder as a hate crime and have charged Jacktone Odhiambo, believed to have been Chiloba’s lover, with the murder. Three other suspects, believed to have assisted in moving Chiloba’s body, were released on the condition that they report to a police station every month for three months.
Chiloba, a fashion designer, was known for his activism in support of LGBTQ rights in a country that is largely conservative and where the president has previously stated that gay rights are not a priority. Chiloba’s body was found on January 4th, stuffed in a metal box dumped on a road near the western town of Eldoret where he lived.
The murder of Edwin Chiloba has drawn international attention and has sparked calls for justice and equality in Kenya.