Man accused of killing Olympic athlete Rebecca Cheptegei ‘dies from burns’

The former partner of Ugandan Olympic athlete Rebecca Cheptegei, who was accused of her murder by setting her on fire, has died in hospital from burns sustained during the attack.

Cheptegei, 33, a marathon runner who competed in the Paris Olympics, suffered burns to over 75% of her body in the September 1st attack and passed away four days later at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret, Kenya. Her boyfriend, Dickson Ndiema Marangach, who was also injured in the incident, succumbed to his injuries on Monday, according to hospital spokesperson Daniel Lang’at.

Rebecca’s father, Joseph Cheptegei, expressed his anguish, stating, "This guy is dead because he killed my daughter. He has died because of his actions."

Cheptegei is the third elite sportswoman in Kenya to be killed since October 2021, raising concerns about domestic violence in the region.

Police in northwest Kenya, where Cheptegei lived and trained, confirmed that an investigation into her death is ongoing. Authorities revealed that the couple was overheard arguing about land shortly before Cheptegei was set ablaze.

Her funeral is scheduled for Saturday in Uganda, where she will be honored with a military burial. High-ranking officials from both Kenya and Uganda are expected to attend the ceremony.

A post-mortem examination on Cheptegei’s body is set to be conducted on Wednesday. Her father said the family hopes the examination will provide more clarity on the circumstances surrounding her tragic death.