• Police have arrested five suspects in the murder of Edwin Kiptoo or Chiloba
• The body of the LGBTQ activist was dumped on the Eldoret outskirts on January 3.
Yesterday an Eldoret court ordered the detention of five suspects in the murder of LGBTQ activist Edwin Kiprotich Kiptoo, also known as Chiloba.
A white Toyota Fielder with no number plates dumped the body in a tin suitcase on the outskirts of Eldoret on January 3.
Kenyans are all legally innocent until proved guilty in a court of law, including Chiloba's lover Jacton Odhiambo. We should not assume that the suspects are guilty.
Nevertheless the police have acted with commendable speed to investigate this case. There does not appear to be a cover-up or unwillingness to investigate just because it involves gay activists.
All Kenyans are equal before the law and all Kenyans deserve protection. That applies to Kiptoo or Chiloba as much as anyone else.
But as the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights pointed out, there are still other unsolved disappearances involving the gay community. We should not forget that many cases of domestic violence between men and women also go unpunished because they are wrongly considered to be private and normal.
So while the police deserve praise for their swift investigation of the Chiloba murder, they should follow up all cases of domestic violence equally quickly.
Quote of the day: "Alea jacta est (the dice is thrown)".
Julius Caesar
The Roman general crossed the river Rubicon to start a civil war on January 10, 49BC.