- Following a blaze that targeted a marathon participant, the former lover likewise succumbs to his wounds.
Following the fatal arson attack on Ugandan Olympian Rebecca Cheptegei, her suspected attacker, Dickson Ndiema Marangach, likewise met his demise in a Kenyan hospital. According to an AFP source from Eldoret, Marangach passed away on Monday evening. The medical facility reported that Marangach, identified by authorities as Cheptegei's partner, sustained burns covering 30% of his body.
According to police reports, Marangach doused 33-year-old Cheptegei in gasoline and set her ablaze at her Kenyan residence on September 1. The runner, who finished 44th in the marathon at the Paris Olympics only a few weeks prior, suffered severe burns covering 80% of her body and tragically passed away last week.
The cruel incident involving Cheptegei ignited public outrage and sentiments of deep mourning, serving as another appalling instance of gender-based violence in Kenya. At least two other athletes have fallen victim to their partners' violence in Kenya since 2021.
Ongoing Dispute Between Cheptegei and Marangach
Per the Ugandan Olympic Committee, Cheptegei's burial is scheduled for September 14 at a location near her parents' home in eastern Uganda. Cheptegei's father revealed to reporters that a dispute over the Kenyan property where Cheptegei resided with her sister and children was the source of her disagreement with Marangach.
I'm not going to sugarcoat it, the dispute between Rebecca Cheptegei and Dickson Ndiema Marangach was a major factor leading to the tragic events. Despite his involvement in her attack, Marangach claimed that the disagreement over property was the main source of their arguments.
