Edwin Chiloba Murder: Cousin Among 3 Suspects Arrested, Vehicle Seized

Three more suspects involved in the gruesome murder of LGBTQ rights activist and model Edwin Chiloba  were arrested on Sunday, January 8.

The three currently in police custody were a cousin to the main suspect, a friend and a taxi driver who were in possession of a metal box used to dispose of the body of the deceased.

According to police spokesperson Resla Atieno Onyango, the suspects were under the age of 18. She also confirmed that detectives had recovered the car, a Toyota Fielder, used to ferry the box, which was detained.

Image of slain LGBTQ activist Edwin Chiloba. /TWITTER 

Peter Kimulwa, a Uasin Gishu County Directorate of Criminal Investigations officer, had revealed that the crime was treated as a love triangle turned fatal, as preliminary reports revealed that Chiloba's eyes were gouged out and he died of strangulation.

"Apart from the eyes being gouged out, there were no physical injuries on the body, suggesting that the victim might have died out of choking,” he stated.

The prime suspect, Jackton Odhiambo, had confessed to being driven to kill Chiloba after discovering that Chiloba had another partner.

According to Langas OCPD John Odhiambo, Jackton alongside his friends had plotted to execute Chiloba as a means of revenge after Chiloba cheated on him.

Jackton was with Chiloba partying at a club in an undisclosed location with the same clothes he wore when his body was discovered. A few hours later, a disagreement would ensue, leaving the gay activist dead.

The two then retired to their apartment in Eldoret where they had been staying for a period of one year. Neighbours had disclosed that they had a quarrel that then escalated into a physical fight.

Jackton would later stuff Chiloba's body in a metallic box and dump it 20 kilometres away from the residence. 

Chiloba’s caretaker Alex Nyamwea had disclosed that Jackton called him using Chiloba’s phone on Wednesday, January 4 informing him that he was vacating the house they lived in, adding that he had found another residence. 

"I came, I was in a hurry, and gave him the key to the gate," Nyamwea disclosed.

He added that Jackton continued to use the deceased's phone, perhaps to give a false impression that all was well. This is as neighbours expressed shock at the turn of the events with no indication given that there was bad blood between the two.