Edwin Chiloba death: Suspect arrested after Kenyan LGBTQ+ activist’s body found stuffed in metal box

Police investigating the death of a Kenyan LGBTQ+ activist who was found stuffed in a metal box have arrested a suspect.

A murder inquiry is under way after Edwin Chiloba’s body was discovered on a road in Uasin Gishu County, in western Kenya, on Wednesday.

A motorcycle taxi driver said they saw the box being dumped at the side of the road by a vehicle with no licence plates and then told police at a nearby roadblock.

When the box was opened by the officers, they found the decomposing body of a man, described as wearing women’s clothes and identified as Mr Chiloba.

His body was then taken to the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital to establish the cause of death.

In a message to the Reuters news agency, police said they had arrested a male in Eldoret who was the “main suspect” but their investigation continues.

Police do not yet know why Mr Chiloba was killed, but he has been attacked and assaulted for his activism in the past, according to his friend Denis Nzioka on Twitter.

Amnesty International secretary-general Agnes Callamard tweeted that a full and independent investigation into Mr Chiloba’s “heart-breaking” killing must be carried out, “leaving no stone unturned”.

Mr Chiloba was a fashion designer, and was praised by activist Njeri Migwi, who said “he embodied fashion”.

She tweeted: “Edwin Chiloba was an amazing human. He was bold, passionate, his energy was immaculate. He embodied fashion.”

Ghanaian human rights group Rightify has called on Kenyan president William Ruto to “ensure the protection and promotion of human rights of sexual and gender minorities”.

However, in Kenya, sex between men is illegal, with the country’s view towards LGBTQ+ rights seen as conservative.