{"id":8066,"date":"2024-09-06T13:14:15","date_gmt":"2024-09-06T13:14:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kohajone.press\/?p=8066"},"modified":"2024-09-06T13:14:17","modified_gmt":"2024-09-06T13:14:17","slug":"daughter-of-olympic-runner-rebecca-cheptegei-who-was-set-on-fire-by-boyfriend-witnessed-the-horrific-attack","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kohajone.press\/?p=8066","title":{"rendered":"Daughter of Olympic runner Rebecca Cheptegei who was \u2018set on fire by boyfriend\u2019 witnessed the horrific attack"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Cheptegei\u2019s father has said his daughter\u2019s boyfriend tormented her for months before the attack<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Ugandan long-distance runner Rebecca Cheptegei is confirmed to have died after a heinous attack saw her get \u2018set on fire\u2019 by an ex-partner.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rebecca Cheptegei had recently been on the\u00a0world\u2019s\u00a0stage for her own accomplishments, competing in the\u00a0Paris\u00a0Olympics. She had finished 44th in the marathon before returning to her home country,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But on Sunday (September 1), she was attacked at her house in the western Trans Nzoia County after returning home from church with her two daughters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Her ex-boyfriend, who has since been named by authorities as Dickson Ndiema, had reportedly doused her in petrol before setting her alight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This resulted in her receiving burns to 75 percent of her body and she was taken to hospital. However, the athlete\u00a0later succumbed to her injuries and was confirmed to have died\u00a0earlier today (September 5).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"It<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

It has been confirmed that Rebecca Cheptegei died of her injuries earlier today (Uganda Athletics Federation)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Head of the hospital Dr. Owen Menach was the one to confirm to local media that the athlete passed away, with the Ugandan Athletics Federation also taking to Twitter<\/a> to confirm the news.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of Cheptegei\u2019s daughters, who has not been named, has since spoken to local media about the attack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Speaking to Kenya\u2019s The Standard, she said she witnessed the whole ordeal, saying: \u201cHe kicked me while I tried to run to the rescue of my mother.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI immediately cried out for help, attracting a neighbor who tried to extinguish the flames with water, but it was not possible.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cheptegei\u2019s father Joseph described his daughter\u2019s attacker as \u2018an animal\u2019, and said that he had been tormenting her for months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr Cheptegei claimed that his daughter and Ndiema were fighting over her land at Endebes in Trans Nzoia shortly before the alleged attack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Speaking to\u00a0The Star, he said: \u201cThey were just friends and I wonder why he wanted to take away things belonging to my daughter.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Rebecca<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Rebecca was attacked by a former partner after leaving church with her two children(Jiang Qiming\/China News Service\/VCG via Getty Images)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The father also attempted to clarify the relationship between his daughter and her assailant as well as the incident itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI wish to state that my wounded daughter is married and her husband is in Uganda. Her attacker was a friend they met in Kenya and my daughter trusted him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey fell out recently but the suspect sneaked into her compound on Sunday afternoon, armed with five litres of petrol and hid in a poultry house.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cRebecca was outside the house when the suspect appeared and immediately poured petrol on her before lighting the fire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMy daughter called for help by asking her sister who was in the home to bring a blanket to put off the fire but the suspect who was armed with a machete chased her away and Rebecca burnt.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The father said he is now praying for justice for his daughter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An investigation into Cheptegei\u2019s passing is underway,\u00a0police\u00a0say. It has been reported that Ndiema also sustained serious burns and is being treated in hospital.<\/p>\n

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