September 10th 2024.
Tragedy struck the world of athletics as Dickson Ndiema, the man accused of murdering Olympic marathon runner Rebecca Cheptegei, has passed away in the hospital. The 33-year-old Ugandan athlete, who had finished 44th in the women's marathon at the recent Paris Olympic Games, succumbed to her injuries last week after being set on fire by her former partner Ndiema.
According to reports, Cheptegei had been in intensive care for several days with severe burns covering over 80 percent of her body. It was revealed in an official police report that Ndiema had poured petrol on her at their home and set her ablaze after a heated argument. The tragic incident occurred when Cheptegei returned home from church with her children.
It has been widely speculated that the couple's dispute over land ownership in western Kenya may have led to this horrific act. In a heartbreaking turn of events, it was confirmed by the Kenya Star and Nation newspapers that Ndiema had also passed away due to the 30 percent burns he suffered during the attack. He had been receiving treatment at the same hospital where Cheptegei breathed her last.
Meanwhile, a postmortem is scheduled to be conducted on Cheptegei's body, who was also a member of the Uganda People Defense Forces, on Wednesday. Her father, Mzee Cheptegei, expressed their family's willingness to undergo the procedure, stating that it would provide closure and help them understand the cause of her tragic death. Cheptegei will be given a military funeral and is expected to be attended by high-profile officials from both Kenya and Uganda.
One of Cheptegei's daughters was a witness to the gruesome attack and immediately sought help from a neighbor in a desperate attempt to save her mother. She recalled how Ndiema had kicked her while she ran towards her burning mother. The neighbor tried to put out the fire with water, but it was too late.
The news of Cheptegei's untimely death has left the sports community in shock. Thomas Bach, the president of the International Olympic Committee, expressed his sorrow and said that Cheptegei's participation in the Paris Games was a source of inspiration for people all around the world. He added that her death was a tragic loss for the entire sporting fraternity.
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