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Post-mortem reveals Edwin Chiloba died of asphyxia

The chief government pathologist explained that due to decomposition, the appearance of Chiloba's eyes may have led the police to think that his eyes had been gorged out.
Fashion designer Edwin Chiloba
Fashion designer Edwin Chiloba

Chief government pathologist Dr Johansen Oduor has released the results of the post mortem conducted on the late Edwin Chiloba.

According to the autopsy, Chiloba, whose real name is Edwin Kiprotich Kiptoo, died of Asphyxia.

Asphyxia is a condition in which there is a lack of oxygen supply and an excess of carbon dioxide in the body.

Speaking to the media at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret on Wednesday, January 11, Oduor said that Chiloba was smothered until he passed out.

He said that reports that the victim's eyes were gorged out were not true, but the body had began decomposing.

He explained that due to the decomposition, the appearance of the eyes may have led the police to think that his eyes had been gorged out.

"We tried looking for any other injuries but we did not. Based on that we took some samples for further analysis to find out whether this person was drugged prior to being murdered," he said.

"He had a piece of jeans trouser around the mouth and around the nose. There were socks which were stuffed in the mouth," the Chief government pathologist added.

Oduor also said that they observed discoloration in Chiloba's fingernails, indicating that he was lacking oxygen when he died.

More analysis will be conducted to determine whether Edwin was drugged as pathologists question why he did not resist the smothering.

Meanwhile, The US government has said it would to assist in investigations into the murder.

Violence against LGBTQI+ persons or anyone, of course, is unacceptable. But when violence stems from possible bias or stigma, it indirectly harms all members of the targeted community,” said US State Department spokesperson Ned Price.

On January 9, an Eldoret court ruled that five suspects linked to the murder be detained for 21 days as the probe continues.

Senior Principal Magistrate Richard Odenyo ruled in favour of Eldoret South Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Chief Stephen Mumba who had made an application seeking to hold the suspects for 21 days until investigations were completed.

The detention period will allow for the body of Chiloba to undergo post-mortem examination and give detectives time to conduct a forensic analysis on the vehicle used to dump the body.

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