Ugandan athlete Rebecca Cheptegei is receiving treatment at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) in Eldoret following a harrowing incident on Sunday. Cheptegei sustained multiple burns after her estranged boyfriend allegedly set her on fire at her residence in Kinyoro, Trans Nzoia County.
According to a police report from area chief Rose Chebet, the attack occurred around 2:00 PM when Cheptegei returned home with her two children to find her former partner, Dickson Ndiema, waiting for her.
“The suspect is believed to have entered the compound earlier that day while Cheptegei and her children were at church. Upon their return, Ndiema reportedly poured petrol on Cheptegei before igniting it,” the report details.
Ndiema is also being treated at MTRH after the fire engulfed him while he was lighting the matchstick.
The report indicates that Cheptegei and Ndiema had been embroiled in ongoing disputes, reportedly involving a plot of land and a house.
“The couple had frequent family disputes over property, including a plot and a house,” the report states.
At the scene, investigators found a 5-litre yellow jerrycan, a bag, a black Marvin (hat) believed to belong to Ndiema, and a burnt mobile phone believed to belong to Cheptegei. The DCI Trans Nzoia West Subcounty is handling the investigation.
Cheptegei recently competed in the women’s marathon at the Paris Olympics, finishing 44th. She also participated in last year’s World Championships in Budapest, where she secured 14th place with a time of 2:29:34.
The 33-year-old’s notable achievements include winning the Padova Marathon in 2022 with a time of 2:31:21 and claiming gold at the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships in Chiang Mai, Thailand in the same year.
