Justice Nyakundi said Odhiambo, 25, showed no remorse for the killing.
However, after the sentence was read out, Odhiambo caused a stir in the courtroom by falling down and crying.
“I have considered all factors and found that Odhiambo was a vengeful person who committed the killing of his close friend,” said the judge.
Chiloba and Odhiambo had been housemates living near the University of Eldoret where Chiloba was a student. There were some reports that the two men were in a relationship.
The prosecution, led by Mark Mugun, told the court that Odhiambo splurged the activist’s money after killing him.
Evidence from 23 witnesses, including DNA tests that linked Odhiambo to the crime scene, was also presented by the prosecution.
Chiloba’s body was found with socks stuffed into his mouth and a piece of denim tied around his face.
A post-mortem indicated he had died from asphyxiation, caused by smothering.
The evidence also showed the suspect had sexually assaulted Chiloba before taking his life.
There had been speculation that this was a case of intimate partner murder but the court did not make any finding about the motive for the killing.
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