Jackton Odhiambo to be charged with murder of LGBTQ activist Edwin Chiloba

Jackton Odhiambo appearing before High Court Eldoret. [Peter Ochieng, Standard]

Jackton Odhiambo, the prime suspect in the death of LGBTQ Activist Edwin Chiloba will face murder charges.

Before taking the plea, the court also ordered his menta evaluation. He is expected back in court on February 8.

This morning State Counsel David Fedha told Senior Principal Magistrate (SPM) Richard Odenyo that the Directorate of Criminal Investigations was partially done with the investigations and that the Office of the Director Of Public Investigations would prefer murder charges against Odhiambo.

Fedha also asked the court to free the four other suspects led by bodybuilder Dennis Litali and three minors who had been arrested averring that the DCI had no evidence linking them to the murder.

The three minors will, however, be required to report to the DCI offices in Eldoret South once a month for three months to record further statements.

"We pray that the miscellaneous application is closed as the DPP has Prefered murder charges against the first respondent who will be arraigned at the High Court today. The second to fifth respondents can be released as we have no evidence against them," the prosecutor told the court.

On January 9, the Magistrate allowed the police to hold the five suspects for 21 more days as investigations into the murder continued.

Chief Inspector Stephen Mumba, the lead investigator in the case, had told the court that a postmortem to determine the cause of Chiloba's death was yet to be conducted.

He added that the deceased's house, which is believed to be the crime scene, and the vehicle used to dispose of his body are also yet to be subjected to a forensic investigation.

The DCI also wanted time to collect DNA samples of the suspects for forensic examination and analysis regarding their alleged participation in the brutal murder of the deceased.

Chiloba was a fourth-year student at the University of Eldoret, pursuing a degree course in Apparel Fashion and design.

His decomposing body was found in a metal box along the Kipkenyo-Kaptinga road in Kapseret sub-County in Uasin Gishu County on January 3.

An autopsy by government pathologist Johansen Oduor revealed that Chiloba died of asphyxiation (lack of oxygen.)