Slain athlete Rebecca Cheptegei’s family says police ignored threats to her life
The family of the late Ugandan athlete Rebecca Cheptegei has
now accused the police of laxity, saying the death could have been averted.
Speaking at their home in Trans Nzoia County, Cheptegei’s
father recounted how local security agencies had often ignored threats issued
to her daughter by the main suspect Dickson Ndiema over a long-standing land
dispute.
They recounted how Ndiema not only doused the Ugandan athlete
in petrol and set her ablaze, but also thrashed any attempts by Cheptegei’s
distraught children to save their mother from the flames.
“Wakati aliungua alibingirika kwa nyasi…hapo hiyo nyasi
haikumuokoa akatoa sweater aliyokuwa nayo…sasa vile alitoa hiyo sweater akatupa
hiyo sweater hapo, ilikuwa na simu, sasa ilikuwa inaungua…sasa wakati
anamuongezea petroli akakuwa anaita Dorry akisema nisaidie na blanketi wakati
huyu anaona hivo akaenda akaanza kukimbiza Dorry na panga akakuwa anataka
kukata mtoto,” said Everline Chelangat, a neigbour.
Neighbours say the suspect fled into a banana plantation,
leaving Cheptegei for dead.
The family also alleges negligence by a hospital in Kitale as
their kin reportedly went for hours with no treatment.
“Nilienda kuleta dawa ingine ndogo ndogo ivi ya chupa
nikaambia daktari ndio hii dawa si mkuje mumshugulikie, akaniambia usikuwe na
spidi na tena usitugombanishe…ndio nikamwambia kama hamtaki kutusaidia si basi
mtupee huyu mgonjwa,” Chelangat added.
Cheptegei’s family has also accused security agencies of
reportedly failing to act on complaints by the athlete on threats to her life
by the main suspect.
“Wangekuwa wachukua mkondo yao kufuata sheria vizuri huyu
mtoto hangekufa…ya kwanza ilikuwa ya simu, ya pili akamfuata mtoto mpaka Uganda…ya
kwanza alifuata mtoto mpaka kwa camp usiku akarudi…sasa ya pili ndio hii na ya
tatu ndio hii sasa amemaliza mtoto,” the late athlete’s father, Joseph
Cheptegei, said.
Endebes sub-county police commander Salesioh Muriithi says
that investigations are ongoing.
Cheptegei’s death has opened a can of worms on gender-based
violence amongst female athletes in Kenya.
In 2021, long-distance runner Agnes Tirop was stabbed to death
in Iten, while in 2022 Bahraini athlete Damaris Mutua was also found dead at a
house in the same town.
In the three instances, the athletes’ partners have been
identified as the prime suspects.
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