- Killer of Ugandan Olympian also dies after fire attack
- Olympic runner Rebecca Cheptegei was set on fire by her ex after land dispute
- She died just weeks after returning from the Paris Olympics
- Her ex partner has now died after sustaining burns as he set Rebecca on fire
Killer of Ugandan Olympian also dies after fire attack
The ex-boyfriend of Ugandan athlete Rebecca Cheptegei, who set her on fire and caused her death, has also died from burns. Dickson Ndiema ambushed Cheptegei over a land dispute in northwest Kenya, doused her with petrol, and set her on fire as she returned from church over a week ago. He died in a Kenyan hospital’s intensive care unit on Monday after suffering more than 30% burns.
Ndiema was to face charges as police said they were treating Cheptegei’s death as murder, with the former boyfriend named as the main suspect.
Cheptegei, originally from the Kenya-Uganda border, chose to represent Uganda in athletics after struggling to break through in Kenya. She joined the Uganda People’s Defence Forces in 2008, rising to the rank of sergeant. She competed in the marathon at this year’s Paris Olympics, finishing 44th, but remained a local hero in her community.
Cheptegei’s burial is scheduled for Saturday in Bukwo, Uganda.
