Senior government pathologist Johansen Oduor has told an Eldoret court murdered lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (LGBTQ) activist Edwin Kiptoo, alias Chiloba, was choked to death.
While testifying virtually before Justice Reuben Nyakundi, Dr Oduor told the court that Mr Chiloba died of asphyxia (a lack of oxygen) after three socks were stuffed in his mouth and a pair of trousers tied tightly on his mouth and nose.
Jackton Odhiambo alias Lizer, the deceased’s friend, is the prime suspect in the murder.
The Pathologist told the court that Chiloba, 26, a University of Eldoret student at the time he met his death, was brutally murdered.
At the time of the post mortem Dr Oduor said that Chiloba’s body was decomposing and foul smelling.
“The deceased had three socks stuffed deep in his mouth and one leg of jeans trousers was tightly tied around his mouth and nose. He suffered bruises on the inside of upper and lower lips and on the left side of the tongue,” Dr Oduor told the court.
He pointed out that Chiloba did not have any defense injuries.
Dr Oduor told the court that some samples from the deceased were taken for further tests and analysis at the government laboratory to match with samples taken from the accused.
Corporal Mercy Kathure, the Investigative Officer (IO) in the case, recounted receiving information about a metallic box that had been disposed of off the road on the morning of January 3, 2023.
She said that she headed to the scene with her colleagues to inspect the box since eye witnesses who had called the police had reported that a speeding Toyota fielder had dumped the box along Kipkenyo- Kaptinga road in Kapseret, Uasin Gishu County.
The IO recounted and on opening the huge box, they found the deceased’s decomposing body which was ferried to the Moi Teaching and Referral (MTRH) mortuary and booked as unknown.
She said that she later learned through social media that the body belonged to a famous LGBTQ activist and fashionista Edwin Kiprotich Kiptoo alias Chiloba.
The police arrested Odhiambo who was the person of interest as he was last seen with the deceased at a popular club in Eldoret and was cohabiting with Chiloba.
A taxi driver who had hired out the Toyota fielder car to Odhiambo was also arrested and two minors who had helped the accused load the box to the vehicle were also arrested, grilled and later released after offering to appear in court as state witnesses.
Odhiambo denied killing the fashionista who is said to have been his lover in an incident that occurred between December 31, 2022 and January 3, 2023 at Noble Breeze Apartments in Chebisaas area within Moiben sub county, Uasin Gishu County.
