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Perhaps what has hit the headlines in the past one week is the gruesome murder of Eldoret-based LGBTQ activist Edwin Kiprotich alias Chiloba. 

Chiloba, a fourth-year student at the University of Eldoret was last seen alive dancing with his friends as they ushered in the New Year at Tamasha Club on the outskirts of Eldoret town.

Five suspects in connection with the murder have since been arrested and arraigned in a court in Eldoret where police were granted 21 days to hold them to conclude investigation into the incident.

The celebrated model is said to have later left the club with his friends to an unknown destination for a house party only for his lifeless body to be found two days later.

The decomposing body was found stashed in a metal box on the Kipkenyo–Kaptinga road in Kapseret constituency by a boda boda rider.

Chiloba, lived in Kimumu on the Eldoret-Iten road, some three kilometres from the university.

People Daily also learnt Chiloba survived an attack in public by unknown assailants last year where he sustained serious injuries on the face.

The prime suspect in the murder Jackton Odhiambo has said to have been in a romantic relationship with Chiloba and had been hanging out with the deceased in various entertainment joints.

The five suspects, among them three minors, are believed to have helped in removing the body of Chiloba from the residential area and according to detectives, the building has to be subjected to forensic audit.

Chiloba’s relatives have dismissed claims that their kin was gay, adding that he was brought up in a Christian family.

“What we know as a family is that our brother came to the university to study. The things we are seeing in social media we don’t know,” said Claudensia Tanui, a first cousin to Chiloba.

Chiloba was not new to controversy and he never shied away from dressing like a woman and sharing images on his social media pages.

According to his last Instagram post on December 29, Chiloba was hopeful that the New Year will bring more opportunities among them expanding his fashion brand.