Africa

Ugandan Olympic athlete dies after being set ablaze by boyfriend

A Ugandan athlete living in Kenya, Rebecca Cheptegei, has died from severe burns received after being set ablaze by her boyfriend.

Cheptegei, a distance runner who finished 44th in the 2024 Paris Olympics, was attacked in her home in Trans Nzoia County.

Trans Nzoia County Police Commander Jeremiah ole Kosiom stated that the incident occurred during a dispute on Sunday.

Cheptegei’s boyfriend, Dickson Ndiema, allegedly purchased a jerrican of petrol, poured it on the Ugandan athlete, and set her on fire. Ndiema also sustained burns during the attack. Both Cheptegei and Ndiema are currently receiving specialized care at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret.

Cheptegei’s parents mentioned that their daughter had purchased land in Trans Nzoia to be close to the county’s athletic training centers. A report from the local chief indicated that the couple was heard arguing about the land before the fire broke out.

This incident follows other tragic events involving athletes in the region. In 2023, Ugandan Olympic runner Benjamin Kiplagat was found dead with stab wounds, and in 2022, Kenyan-born Bahraini athlete Damaris Muthee was discovered dead, with a postmortem revealing that she had been strangled.

Mimi Mefo Info

Kim Feh

Recent Posts

Sacred Rites, Secret Burial: What Happens When the Fon of Kom Dies

Fon Clement Ndzì II was reported dead on July 20, 2026, but in Komland, he…

2 hours ago

Issa Tchiroma Asks Cameroon Military to Bring Him Home From Gambia

Cameroonian opposition leader Issa Tchiroma Bakary has issued a direct appeal to the country’s defence…

16 hours ago

Rebecca Enonchong Accuses Cameroon’s SRC of Political Harassment After Office Seizure

Prominent Cameroonian technology entrepreneur Rebecca Enonchong has said a state debt-recovery agency of politically motivated…

3 days ago

CICFEST: UK Cameroonians Unite to Save Their Cultural Identity

For many Cameroonian parents living in the United Kingdom, one of the greatest fears is…

3 days ago

France vs Angleterre : un choc spectaculaire pour le bronze du Championnat du monde

Le plus grand tournoi de football de l'année entre dans sa dernière ligne droite. Dans…

3 days ago

La société nationale des hydrocarbures prise en otage par le couple Moudiki

Depuis 1993, Adolphe Moudiki occupe le fauteuil d'Administrateur-Directeur Général de la Société Nationale des Hydrocarbures…

6 days ago