The individual who assaulted Ugandan athlete Rebecca Cheptegei by dousing her with petrol has passed away from injuries sustained during the attack, according to the Kenyan hospital where he was being treated on Tuesday.
Dickson Ndiema Marangach reportedly attacked Cheptegei at her residence in western Kenya on September 1, as stated by the police. After the incident, the mother of two suffered 80 per cent burns and passed away last week.
In the course of the attack, Marangach also incurred 30 per cent burns and was being treated in the intensive care unit at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) in the Rift Valley city of Eldoret.
“It’s true we lost Dickson Ndiema last night at about 8:00 pm,” an official at the hospital’s communications department told AFP, requesting anonymity as they were not authorised to speak to the press.
The official said his family had been informed, and a “comprehensive statement” would be released later.
The 33-year-old Cheptegei’s attack has been met with sadness and outrage as another tragic example of gender-based violence in the East African nation. Since 2021, at least two other athletes have been killed by their partners.
Cheptegei is set to be laid to rest on September 14 close to her family’s residence in eastern Uganda, as announced by the country’s Olympic Committee.
The assault, reportedly witnessed by Cheptegei’s daughters, occurred shortly after she participated in the women’s marathon at the Paris Games, where she secured the 44th position. Authorities stated that Marangach entered her Endebess residence near the Ugandan border.
Joseph Cheptegei, her father, informed the media that the disagreement with Marangach was related to the property where she resided with her sister and daughters.
He shared with Kenyan media that Marangach purchased five litres of petrol and then concealed himself in a chicken coop before carrying out the attack.
“He poured the petrol and set her on fire. When she reached out to her sister for help, he threatened her with a machete, causing her to escape.”
Law enforcement stated that the couple had been experiencing “ongoing family disputes”.
In Kenya, there is a high prevalence of violence against women, as per the latest UN data, which recorded 725 cases of femicide in 2022. According to a 2023 report by Kenya’s National Bureau of Statistics, 34 per cent of women have encountered physical violence since the age of 15.
The passing of Cheptegei comes after the deaths of the accomplished Kenyan runner Agnes Tirop in 2021 and the Kenyan-born Bahrain athlete Damaris Mutua the subsequent year.
In both instances, their former partners were implicated in their tragic deaths. Tirop’s estranged partner, who maintains his innocence, is currently facing trial for her murder.