NAIROBI, Kenya (AFP)— A Kenyan court on Monday sentenced a freelance photographer to 50 years in prison after finding him guilty of killing his lover, a prominent LGBTQ campaigner, two years ago.

The gruesome death of Edwin Kiprotich Kipruto, popularly known as Edwin Chiloba, in January 2023 sent shock waves through the gay community in Kenya and drew condemnation from rights campaigners at home and abroad.

The killing was initially suspected to have been a hate crime, but it was Chiloba’s housemate and lover Jacktone Odhiambo who was eventually found guilty of the murder in a court in the Rift Valley town of Eldoret.

Judge Reuben Nyakundi said the sentence was based on “the diabolical manner” in which the crime was committed.

“The victim’s family remains with more questions than answers as to why a close friend will be the one to plan and execute this murder with impunity,” he said, adding that Odhiambo had shown no remorse.

A post-mortem found that Chiloba, a 25-year-old model and fashion designer, had been smothered to death, with a piece of denim tied around his mouth and nose and socks stuffed into his mouth.

His body was discovered about 40 kilometres (25 miles) outside Eldoret after it was reportedly dumped from a moving car.

Homosexuality is taboo in Kenya and across much of Africa and Kenya’s LGBTQ community often faces harassment and physical attacks in the predominantly conservative Christian nation.

Despite attempts to overturn British colonial-era laws banning homosexuality in Kenya, gay sex remains a crime, with penalties including prison terms of up to 14 years.