In a heartbreaking development, the former boyfriend of Ugandan Olympian Rebecca Cheptegei has died from injuries he received during a horrific fire attack. Local sources reported that **Dickson Ndiema** was alleged to have assaulted Cheptegei following a dispute related to property on September 1, setting her on fire outside her residence.
Cheptegei endured critical burns across 80% of her body and tragically succumbed to multiple organ failures a few days later. She was laid to rest this weekend in Kapkoros, Bukwo District, Uganda.
The 33-year-old athlete had recently participated in the 2024 Olympics in Paris and had represented Uganda at various important athletic meets such as the IAAF World Cross Country Championships and World Athletics Championships. In 2022, she claimed victory at the Padova Marathon in Italy and established a new Ugandan record with a marathon time of 2:22:47.
The loss deeply affected the Uganda Athletics Federation, which conveyed its profound sorrow through a statement: “We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of our athlete, Rebecca Cheptegei, who tragically fell victim to domestic violence.”
Ndiema faced respiratory failure in the Intensive Care Unit due to severe burn injuries to his airways and complications from sepsis, which ultimately led to his death on Monday at 6:30 PM, despite extensive efforts to save his life. Dr. Philip Kirwa, CEO of Kenya’s Mo Teaching and Referral Hospital, confirmed the details regarding Ndiema’s death.
