The man responsible for attacking Ugandan runner Rebecca Cheptegei has died from injuries sustained in the assault, according to the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) in Eldoret, Kenya.
Dickson Ndiema Marangach attacked Cheptegei at her home in western Kenya on September 1, pouring petrol on her. Cheptegei, a mother of two, suffered severe burns covering 80 percent of her body and passed away the following week.
Marangach, who sustained 30 percent burns, was receiving treatment in the intensive care unit at MTRH. An official from the hospital’s communications department confirmed Marangach’s death, requesting anonymity. The official stated that Marangach’s family had been notified and promised a comprehensive statement would be issued later.
The tragic event has sparked widespread grief and outrage, highlighting ongoing issues of gender-based violence in East Africa. Since 2021, at least two other athletes have been killed by their partners.
Cheptegei, 33, was set to be laid to rest on September 14 near her family home in eastern Uganda, as announced by the country’s Olympic Committee. The attack occurred shortly after Cheptegei’s Olympic debut in the women’s marathon at the Paris Games, where she finished 44th.
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Police reported that Marangach entered Cheptegei’s home in Endebess, near the Uganda border, while she was at church with her children. The attack reportedly stemmed from a dispute over property. Marangach allegedly purchased five liters of petrol and hid in a chicken coop before carrying out the assault.
During the attack, Marangach threatened Cheptegei’s sister with a machete, preventing her from intervening. The couple had a history of family conflicts, according to police.
The case underscores a troubling pattern of violence against women in Kenya, which recorded 725 femicide cases in 2022, as reported by the UN. A 2023 report from Kenya’s National Bureau of Statistics revealed that 34 percent of women had experienced physical violence since the age of 15.
Cheptegei’s death follows similar tragedies involving athletes, including the 2021 murder of Kenyan runner Agnes Tirop and the 2022 death of Kenyan-born Bahraini athlete Damaris Mutua, both of whom were killed by their former partners. Tirop’s estranged partner, who denies the charges, is currently on trial.