I saw Jacktone Odhiambo, others carry metallic box from Chiloba’s house, witness tells court
The late Edwin Chiloba.
What you need to know:
- The witness requested to have her identity concealed in media reports
- The 23-year-old woman told the court that she was a close friend of Chiloba and they were classmates at the University of Eldoret
- The anonymous witness told the court that she lived in the same flat with Chiloba and they often visited each other
- She identified the metal box that was allegedly used to transport the body of the late Chiloba when it was displayed in court
A witness in the murder of LGBTQ activist Edwin Chiloba stunned an Eldoret court when she said she had seen Jacktone Odhiambo --the main suspect in the trial-- and others carry a metal box from his house.
The witness, who requested to have her identity concealed in media reports, told the court that it all started on December 23, 2022, when she saw Chiloba's household goods being moved from his house, yet he had not informed her that he was moving.
"When I saw Chiloba's belongings being moved, I called him and he told me that he was in Mumias and he was not moving out," the witness told the court.
The court heard that a short time later, Chiloba called her back and told her that he had spoken to Mr Odhiambo and agreed to move his belongings.
The 23-year-old woman told the court that she was a close friend of Chiloba, who was also her classmate at the University of Eldoret where they both studied fashion and design.
The casket carrying the body of slain LGBTQ activist Edwin Kiprotich Kipruto alias Chiloba in Sergoit, Elgeyo-Marakwet County, on January 17, 2023.
The witness told the court that she lived in the same flat with Chiloba and they often visited each other for group discussions and class assignments, among other things that brought them together as students.
"It is true that we were close friends and often visited each other as students and friends on the same campus," she told the court.
In her testimony, she told the court that Chiloba lived on the upper floor of the Canan B apartments, about two kilometres from her university.
Disturbing commotion
She further told the court that after moving the deceased's belongings, on January 1, 2023, she heard a disturbing commotion on the staircase of the apartment at dawn and when she went to investigate, she saw some people, alongside the accused, Mr Odhiambo, carrying a heavy metal box down the stairs.
Jackton Odhiambo (centre), the main suspect in the killing of LGBTQ activist Edwin Kiprotich Kipruto alias Chiloba, at the Eldoret High Court in Uasin Gishu County on January 31, 2023. Four other suspects were released by an Eldoret Law Court following conclusion of investigations. A witness told an Eldoret court that Mr Odhiambo was in a romantic relationship with the deceased.
She said she was horrified to learn a few days later that the same metal box had gone viral on social media when it was found dumped with a body in Eldoret.
She identified the metal box that was allegedly used to transport the body of the late Chiloba when it was displayed in court.
The witness also told the court that the deceased was in a romantic relationship with Mr Odhiambo.
Testifying before magistrate Reuben Nyakundi, a witness, who applied to the court not to be identified by the media, told the court that Mr Chiloba had confirmed to her that he was in an intimate relationship with Mr Odhiambo.
Mr Odhiambo is accused of killing Chiloba on January 3 this year at Noble Breeze Apartment in Chebisaas, Moiben Sub-county.
Homicide detectives at the Noble Breeze Apartment in Chebisaas, Eldoret town, Uasin Gishu County on January 12, 2023, where the late LGBTQ activist Edwin Kiprotich Kipruto alis Chiloba lived. A witness told an Eldoret court that she saw Jacktone Odhiambo, the main suspect in the murder trial, and others carry a metal box from a house, which was later found stuffed with the late Chiloba's body.
Decomposing body
Chiloba's decomposing body was found on January 3 in a metal box along the Kipkenyo-Kaptinga road in Kapseret Sub-county in Uasin Gishu County.
A postmortem by government pathologist Johansen Oduor found that Chiloba died of asphyxia (lack of oxygen).
She told the court that the accused was a frequent visitor to Chiloba’s house.
"For a long time, I knew them as general friends. But later Chiloba told me that they were having an affair," she told the court.
Two other witnesses, including photographer Dennis Ochieng and Patricia Nyambura, also testified in the case.
They were the last people seen with Mr Odhiambo and Chiloba at the Tamasha club in Eldoret on the eve of the New Year.
The witnesses told the court that both the prime suspect and the deceased were in high spirits at Tamasha Club during the New Year celebrations, dancing together in a jovial mood.
According to witnesses, the duo left the club in a taxi at dawn after a night of fun.
The trial will continue on November 20 and 22.
