The irony of it all is that Rebecca Cheptegei, considered one of Uganda’s most promising athletes competing in the women’s marathon at the 2024 Paris Olympics, struggles for her life on the hospital bed following a horrific petrol attack by her boyfriend Nickson Ndiema. The incidence happened in Trans Nzoia County, Kenya, where the long distance runner has been resident and training.
Trans Nzoia County Police Commander, Jeremiah ole Kosiom said the incident occurred on Sunday afternoon at Cheptegei’s home in Endebess. She said that during a heated argument, Ndiema doused Cheptegei with petrol and set her ablaze. The two suffered severe burns from the fire. The shouted for help alerted the neighbors who rushed and put out the fire and then rushed the couple to Kitale County Referral Hospital for treatment.
Cheptegei, who had suffered burns to at least 75% of her body, was later transferred to the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret for specialized care. Ndiema, who suffered serious burns equally, is currently under police watch at the same hospital and is the primary suspect in the ongoing investigation.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the couple had differences over a plot of land in Endebess, on which Cheptegei had built a home. On the fateful day, Ndiema snuck into the compound when Cheptegei and her children had gone to church. When she returned, Ndiema met her, armed with petrol, and committed the heinous assault.
Recovered from the scene were a five-litre jerrican, a bag, and a mobile phone, all believed to have belonged to Cheptegei; the three items are currently being checked for forensic evidence.
The athlete’s father, Joseph Cheptegei, and Agnes Ndiema were shocked and grief-stricken over the incident. They said Cheptegei was born in Cheminy, Uganda, and had bought the land in Trans Nzoia to set up a base where she could train. However, the relationship between the two had been frosty, with disputes over the property a common thing.
This incident sent shockwaves in the athletic fraternity in Uganda and beyond, coming just months after another Ugandan athlete, one Benjamin Kiplagat, was stabbed to death in Eldoret on December 31, 2023.
Cheptegei is currently fighting for her life in the hospital, as authorities continue to investigate this heinous act and Ndiema is expected to face charges once he is recovered. The incident put into perspective the dangers of domestic violence and the urgent need for more protective measures among vulnerable persons.
