music_note
LGBTQ Activist & Fashion Designer Edwin Chiloba Murder Mystery.
The country woke up to the news of Fashion Designer Edwin Chiloba’s saddening Murder on January 5th, 2023.
The body of the popular model and LGBTQ Activist was found in a metal box in the Mogombet district of Kapsaret, Uasin Gishu county, four days after his last online post dated 31st December 2022, where the well-known model can be seen dancing and having fun with his friends in a short video clip to the song “Live and Die in Afrika” by Sauti Sol.
According to Barnabas Cheruiyo a village elder in the area where his body was discovered, a Boda Boda driver witnessed a numberless vehicle dumping a metal box along the Kipeño-Capchinga road,
“The operator got suspicious of the metal box that the car had just dropped. He came and reported the matter to Simat chief who sent police officers,” said Cheruiyot.
Upon arrival at the scene, the police opened the box and found the rotting corpse of a man dressed as a woman. The deceased would later be identified to be the Eldoret-based fashion designer.
The body was taken to Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, where a postmortem to determine the cause of his death is being carried out.
This was Chiloba’s second Physical Assault:
It has been established that Mr. Chiloba was attacked by unknown individuals four months ago, but he thankfully survived.
During the incident, individuals hostile to his LGBTQ lifestyle attacked and beat him. He sustained injuries as a result of this incident, including a substantial cut on his lips and a trickle of blood from his upper face. In addition, his clothes were stained and ripped, and his face was covered in cuts and bruises.
An Instagram user by the name of Biubwa-uncut told how they tried to get in touch with him to find out what had happened, and he said he would talk when he was ready.
Biubwa claims that the deceased bravely fought for his rights and that his death was a devastating blow to many of his fans and colleagues in the Industry.
Celebrities’ Reaction to the Death of Chiloba.
Within hours of the news breaking, Celebrities from Kenya and Internationally took to social media to mourn him.
1. Chris Makena, CEO Bold Network Africa.
Chris Makena, CEO, and founder of Bold Network Africa recalled their interactions and referred to the incident as a tragic loss for the queer community.
Makena called on the authorities to expedite investigations and bring his killers to justice, describing it as a “hate crime” with “homophobia written all over it.”
“If anyone met you or spoke to you what they would probably say is that you were light and love. Edwin the news of your brutal death sent chills down my spine. You didn’t deserve that pain, you didn’t deserve to die. This is a hate crime it has homophobia written all over it and it sickens me that this is how we start this year. Yet another tragic loss for the queer community in Kenya, a country we should call home. I mourn you so hard my friend, I will forever remember the moments we shared and the conversations we had. You had so much love to share with the world Edwin. “They’ wrote In part.
2. Michelle Ntalami, CEO Marini Naturals.
Michelle Ntalami also expressed her sadness at losing a friend that had always supported her brand.
In one of his final videos online, the deceased praised Michelle Ntalami and showed his appreciation for her.
This video was posted on Instagram on Michelle Ntalami’s birthday.
3. Letoya Johnstone : Transgender Model
Fashion Personality Letoya Johnstone who has also shared her experiences with queer discrimination came out to Eulogise Edwin Chiloba.
” The death of @its_edwinchiloba is a reason you should be checking up on your friends and making sure that you are sure they got home safe. Insist you put them in a taxi and that they got home safe. Make sure you call to find out of your friends or lovers get home safe.
Xo Xo Toy Toy Baby – Kill it with love.”
4. Sam Smith – Singer-Songwriter.
Celebrated English singer and songwriter Sam Smith who is also openly gay, took to Instagram to share Edwin’s picture.
He put a broken heart emoji and wrote his name.
Who killed Chiloba?
Chiloba’s boyfriend Jackton Odhiambo on Saturday, January 7, confessed to killing the fashion model.
The couple had been together for a year, and the apartment’s caretaker said that Chiloba had lived alone at the house for three years before Jackton came along in 2022.
On the night of his Murder, Chiloba, Jackton, and another unidentified man went to the Eldoret nightclub Tamasha to ring in the new year. The three looked like they had a good time according to the shared videos, but when they got home, the neighbors reported that there had been some noise in the house for a while before everything went quiet.
The Caretaker and some neighbors also reported seeing Jacktone carrying the metallic box, with Edwin Chiloba possibly in it, down the stairs.
Edwin Chiloba’s Unconventional Pursuit For Fashion.
After completing Highschool, he enrolled for a degree at Moi University where he found happiness in the diversity of the school’s clubs, and a new love; Fashion.
In his third year, he began putting together outfits his relatives weren’t proud of and attending photoshoots and pageants. He would later drop out of college on claims that his style was of demonic influence.
Not long after, however, he got his breakthrough through a Facebook message from a white couple who loved his designs. They would later enroll him at a fashion school to pursue his dream.
Amongst his accolades, is a nomination for Fashion Influencer of the Year, 2021 by Pulse Awards.
May he rest in peace.
About Post Author
