Ugandan Olympic marathon runner Rebecca Cheptegei has died in hospital from her injuries after being the victim of a petrol attack at her home.
Cheptegei was being treated in hospital for 80 per cent burns that were allegedly set on fire by her boyfriend on Sunday.
She had been admitted to the intensive care unit of Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret, Kenya.
The hospital’s acting director, Dr Owen Menach, confirmed that Cheptegei had died on Wednesday night.
“Unfortunately, we lost her after all her organs failed last night,” Menach was quoted as saying by Kenyan newspaper The Star.
Ugandan Olympian Rebecca Cheptegei (centre) has died in hospital, it has been announced
The hospital is expected to provide a full report later today.
Cheptegei had returned to Kenya after his participation in the Paris Olympics, where he represented Uganda in the marathon.
Kenyan police confirmed the jogger had been attacked at her home in the western county of Trans Nzoia, located near the border with Uganda.
Trans Nzoia County Police Commander Jeremiah ole Kosiom said her ex-partner, reportedly her ex-boyfriend Dickson Ndiema, had bought a can of petrol, poured it on her and set it alight during a disagreement on Sunday.
Her father, Joseph Cheptegei, speaking earlier this week from the hospital alongside his other daughter Evalyne Chelagat, said the two were fighting over their land in Endebes in Trans Nzoia shortly before the alleged attack took place.
“They were just friends and I wonder why he wanted to take things away from my daughter,” Cheptegei Sr. said. The staralso revealing that her daughter’s two children were fathered by another man living in Uganda.
He went on to claim that Cheptegei and Ndiema, who he said have been estranged for a long time, are involved in a case being investigated by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) in Kenya.
According to Cheptegei Snr and Police Commander Kosiom, the ex-boyfriend sneaked into his daughter’s house to organise the attack.
“The groom is believed to have sneaked into the compound at around 2pm on Sunday while his wife and children were at church,” Kosiom was quoted as saying by Kenyan newspaper The Standard.
‘On returning, Dickson, who had obtained petrol, began pouring it over Rebecca before setting her alight.
‘The couple were heard arguing outside their home. During the altercation, the boyfriend was seen pouring a liquid over the woman before setting her on fire.
‘The suspect was also hit by the fire and suffered serious burns.’
According to Menach, the alleged attacker’s ex-boyfriend was also admitted to the same hospital with 30 percent burns.