The father of Ugandan Olympic marathon runner Rebecca Cheptegei has publicly disclosed heart-wrenching details surrounding the brutal attack on his daughter allegedly by her ex-boyfriend.
According to Joseph Cheptegei, the assault was the culmination of a heated dispute over property ownership.
The confrontation reportedly took a horrifying turn in their home in Trans Nzoia County.
“They were just friends and I wonder why he wanted to take away things belonging to my daughter,” Mzee Cheptegei stated as per The Star.
Rebecca Cheptegei, a prominent athlete who recently competed in Paris, finishing 44th in the women’s marathon was attacked allegedly by Dickson Ndiema.
The local police, led by Commander Jeremiah ole Kosiom, reported that Ndiema purchased petrol, doused Cheptegei, and set her on fire during the confrontation.
The horrifying event has shocked the community and drawn attention to the dangers of domestic disputes escalating into violence.
Evalyne Chelagat, Cheptegei’s sister, who has been supporting her family through this ordeal, recounted the terror of that day.
“It was the neighbors who rushed to help extinguish the flames,” she said in a separate interview.
Authorities found evidence at the scene, including a five-liter jerry can, a bag, and a burned phone, which have been crucial in the ongoing investigation by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) in Kenya.
Rebecca, aged 33, had achieved significant accolades in her athletic career, including a gold medal at the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships in Chiang Mai, Thailand, in 2022.
Her participation in the women’s marathon at the Paris Olympics had her finishing 44th.
