A Kenyan court Wednesday convicted the housemate of slain LGBTQ activist Edwin Kiptoo of murder, nearly two years after the discovery of Kiptoo’s body in a metal box sparked outrage in the conservative East African nation.
High Court Judge Reuben Nyakundi found Jacktone Odhiambo guilty of killing Kiptoo, who was widely known as Chiloba, between December 31, 2022, and January 3, 2023, in the western city of Eldoret. Police believe Odhiambo and Kiptoo, a model and designer, had been in a relationship.
“My client has been found guilty of murder,” defense lawyer Sammy Mathai told Reuters, adding that sentencing is scheduled for December 16. The Office of the Director of Public Prosecution confirmed the ruling on social media platform X.
Odhiambo had pleaded not guilty when arraigned in February 2023. The conviction comes against the backdrop of Kenya’s strict laws against homosexuality, where gay sex remains punishable by 14 years in prison, though the law is rarely enforced.
