The person who attacked Ugandan runner Rebecca Cheputegui has died from accidents sustained when he poured petrol on the Olympic athlete, a Kenyan hospital mentioned.
Dickson Ndiema Marangach attacked her at her residence in Cheptegei in western Kenya on September 1, police mentioned. , died final week.
Malangazi additionally suffered 30 per cent burns throughout the assault and is presently being handled within the intensive care unit of the Moi Educating and Referral Hospital (MTRH) in Eldoret, Kenya’s Rift Valley metropolis.
Hospital spokesman Daniel Lang’at mentioned Marangach died at 7:50pm native time (16:50 GMT) on Monday.
“He died from his accidents and burns,” Langat instructed Reuters.
Kenyan police mentioned Malangazi sneaked into her residence in Ndebes, close to the Ugandan border, whereas she was taking her kids, ages 9 and 11, to church.
Her father, Joseph Cheptegei, instructed reporters that the dispute with Malangach was over the property the place she lived together with her sister and daughters. He instructed Kenyan media final week that Malangazi purchased 5 liters (1.3 gallons) of gasoline earlier than the assault and hid in a hen coop.
“He poured petrol and set her on hearth. When she referred to as her sister for assist, he threatened her with a machete and she or he ran away.
Police mentioned the couple had “frequent home quarrels”.
The United Nations condemned her “violent homicide”, with Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for UN Secretary-Normal Antonio Guterres, saying: “Gender-based violence is without doubt one of the most widespread human rights violations on this planet and must be handled equally deal with.
We strongly condemn the homicide of Rebecca Cheptegei, the third elite runner to be murdered in Kenya. All suspects had been shut companions of the athletes.
There have to be no impunity for perpetrators.
development #femicide It should cease.declarer @ african women unit https://t.co/KHT9D4fcrs pic.twitter.com/KLYAVcYq0d
— UN Ladies (@UN_Women) September 5, 2024
Cheptegei honored in Paris, tributes poured in
Cheptegei, who completed forty fourth in Paris, is the third elite athlete to be killed in Kenya since October 2021. .
She shall be buried close to her residence in jap Uganda on September 14, based on the Uganda Olympic Committee.
On Sunday, an image of Cheptegei appeared on the large display screen to pay tribute to her after the marathon on the ultimate day of the Paris Paralympic Video games. The tribute was met with applause from the Les Invalides viewers.
The town of Paris mentioned it could title a sports activities stadium after Cheptegei in her honor.
Tributes have poured in for the runner, who’s the Ugandan girls’s marathon file holder and likewise served within the Uganda Folks’s Protection Forces with the rank of sergeant.
World Athletics president Sebastian Coe mentioned: “Our sport has misplaced a proficient athlete in essentially the most tragic and unimaginable circumstances.”
“Rebecca is an extremely versatile runner who has loads to supply on the street, mountains and cross-country trails.”
Coe mentioned he was in discussions with members of the World Athletics Council to “assess learn how to strengthen our safeguarding insurance policies to incorporate abuse outdoors sport and convey collectively stakeholders from all areas of athletics to work collectively to guard our feminine athletes” To the very best of our capacity to be shielded from every kind of abuse”.
Our sport has misplaced a proficient athlete underneath essentially the most tragic and unimaginable circumstances.
Rebecca is an extremely versatile runner who has a lot extra to supply on the street, mountain, and cross-country trails.
I’ve been involved with our council members in Africa to seek out out… https://t.co/RuDdyxFBm7
— Seb Coe (@sebcoe) September 5, 2024
Cheptegei’s loss of life highlights gender-based violence in Kenya
Human rights teams say that many worldwide runners prepare in Kenya’s excessive altitudes, and that feminine athletes in Kenya are prone to be exploited and violently abused by males, and that their prize cash far exceeds native earnings.
“Justice actually must be for him to sit down in jail and take into consideration what he did. That is not excellent news in any manner,” mentioned Viola Cheptoo, co-founder of Tirop Angels. Angels of Tirop is a assist group for survivors of home violence in Kenyan sport.
“Rebecca’s loss of life is stunning,” Cheputu instructed Reuters.
Cheptoo co-founded Tirop’s Angels in reminiscence of Agnes Tirop. He was discovered useless at his residence in Ettentown in October with a number of stab wounds to his neck.
Tirop’s husband, Ibrahim Rotich, was charged with Tirop’s homicide however has pleaded not responsible. The case continues.
Since 2021, at the very least two different athletes have died by the hands of their companions.
Throughout Kenya, 41% of married girls have skilled bodily violence, in contrast with 20% of single girls.
In keeping with the United Nations, at the very least 500 girls and women have been murdered in Kenya since 2016.
In keeping with UN Ladies Africa, there have been 89,000 reviews of murders of ladies and women globally in 2022, the very best quantity since data started in 20 years. Greater than half of ladies and women are killed by an intimate companion or different member of the family.
Kenyan Sports activities Minister Kipchuba Merkomen mentioned the Olympian’s loss of life was a “stern reminder” that we should do extra to fight gender-based violence.
