Justice Sought for Ugandan Olympian Rebecca Cheptegei

Justice Sought for Ugandan Olympian Rebecca Cheptegei

Rebecca Cheptegei, a Ugandan Olympic marathon runner, has tragically passed away following a violent incident involving her boyfriend. The 33-year-old athlete succumbed to severe burns at a hospital in Kenya on Thursday, just four days after being set on fire by her partner.  

Cheptegei’s father, Joseph Cheptegei, has called for justice, expressing frustration over the suspect’s continued freedom. “The person who harmed my daughter is a murderer,” he told reporters. “I am concerned that the security officials are not taking appropriate action, and the perpetrator might escape.”

Her mother, Agnes Cheptegei, criticized the local police in Endebess for not ensuring her daughter’s safety. The couple had been in a dispute over land in Trans Nzoia county, which Cheptegei had purchased to be close to Kenya’s elite athletics training centers.

Doctors at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret, where Cheptegei was treated, revealed that she had been heavily sedated due to the severity of her injuries. Dr. Kimani Mbugua explained that Cheptegei died from multi-organ failure caused by extensive burns. “The burns were severe, affecting a large portion of her body, leading to kidney and cardiovascular failures,” Mbugua said.

Cheptegei’s partner, Dickson Ndiema, also suffered burns over 30 percent of his body and remains in the intensive care unit.

Cheptegei had recently competed in the women’s marathon at the Paris Olympics, finishing 44th. Her death marks the third instance of a prominent female sports figure being killed in Kenya since October 2021.

Source: Africa News