Rebecca Cheptege, a Ugandan Olympic marathon runner has been hospitalized with 75 percent burns after allegedly being set on fire by her boyfriend.
Cheptegei, who represented Uganda at the Paris 2024 Olympics, had recently returned to Kenya.
Police have confirmed Cheptegei was attacked by her former boyfriend Dickson Ndiema in her house in western Trans Nzoia County, where she had been training.
Trans Nzoia County Police Commander Jeremiah ole Kosiom said her former partner had bought a can of petrol, poured it on her, and set her ablaze during a disagreement on Sunday.
‘The boyfriend is believed to have sneaked into the compound at around 2pm on Sunday while the wife and the children were in Church,’ Kosiom said, as per the Kenyan newspaper The Standard.
‘Upon returning, Dickson, who had procured petrol, began pouring it on Rebecca before he set her ablaze.
‘The couple were heard quarrelling outside their house. During the altercation, the boyfriend was seen pouring a liquid on the woman before burning her.
‘The suspect was also caught by the fire and sustained serious burns.’
Cheptegei is currently being treated at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret city.
Ndiema, who also sustained burns, is being treated at the same hospital.
The Ugandan Athletics Federation confirmed the attack on social media.
‘We regret to announce that our athlete Rebecca Cheptegei, who competed at the Olympics has suffered severe injuries and is hospitalised at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret.
‘This follows an incident involving her Kenyan boyfriend pouring petrol and setting fire on her.’
Neighbours helped to extinguish the flames, according to local reports, with both being admitted to hospital with extensive burns.
Police discovered a five-litre jerry can, a bag, and a burned phone at the scene of the incident, according to Kenyan newspaper The Nation.
The local police chief stated that the couple had been heard fighting over the land where the house was built before the fire was started.
Cheptegei was reported to have bought the land in Trans Nzoia county, located close to the Uganadan border, and built a house.
The house is close to several training centres in Kenya.
Cheptegei finished 44th in the women’s marathon at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games last month.
In 2022, the 33-year-old also won gold at the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
Linda Ikeji
If he gets anything less than the death penalty, then justice has not been served. Whether she lives or dies.