He killed his partner, he died five days later. Dickson Ndiema, who burned alive Ugandan athlete Rebecca Cheptegei (33 years old), died Monday evening at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) in Eldoret (western Kenya), reports the Kenya Times. He had been admitted to an intensive care unit after having doused his partner with petrol and set fire to him on September 1st. Burned on nearly 80% of her body, Rebecca Cheptegei did not survive her serious injuries and died last Thursday.
Burned on 30% of the body
Dickson Ndiema, who was hit by flames on 30% of his body during his attack, died. According to a police report, he had entered Rebecca Cheptegei’s property on September 1 around 2 p.m., while she was at church with her children. The marathon runner lived with her sister and two children in this house located in Endebess, a locality where she trained located 25 kilometers from the Ugandan border.
When they returned from church, he doused her with petrol and set her on fire. According to Rebecca Cheptegei’s father, the attack stemmed from a dispute over the land his daughter had bought to build her house.
Rebecca Cheptegei had competed in the marathon at the 2024 Paris Olympics on August 11 and finished 44th. Her disappearance caused international outrage and a wave of indignation. Anne Hidalgo, the mayor of Paris, announced that she would inaugurate a sports venue in tribute to the athlete.
- RMC Sport
