REBECCA CHEPTEGEI: Neighbour Recalls Horrific Moment The Olympian Was Set on Fire
On Saturday, a neighbour described the terrifying moment when renowned local athlete Rebecca Cheptegei was allegedly set on fire by an assailant, later identified as her ex-partner.
The tragic attack occurred outside Cheptegei’s home in Chepkum, a quiet village in Trans Nzoia County, and devastated neighbours and family members.
Rebecca Cheptegei – Burned
— Larry Madowo (@LarryMadowo) September 5, 2024
Agnes Tirop – Stabbed
Damaris Mutua – Strangled
All female athletes killed in the last 3 years whose husbands or boyfriends are suspects. Kenya has a femicide problem pic.twitter.com/w5lQLA1OPy
Cheptegei’s immediate neighbour, Agnes Barabara, described the horrific scene in an emotional interview with the BBC.
“I was in the house and heard people screaming, ‘fire’. When I came out, I saw Rebecca running towards my house on fire, shouting ‘help me’,” she tearfully recalled.
Ms. Barbara attempted to find water and raise an alarm, but the brutality of the attack escalated.
“As I went to look for water and started calling out for help, her assailant appeared again and doused more petrol on her,” she added.
“But then, he too got burned and ran off towards the garden to try to put it out. We then went to help Rebecca.”
Despite their best efforts, the injuries Cheptegei sustained were fatal. Her neighbour expressed the incident’s profound emotional impact.
“I have never seen anyone burn alive in my life. I didn’t eat for days after that incident.”
Cheptegei, described as a kind and generous person, had only recently shared some of her maize harvest with Barbara.
“She was a very good neighbour,” Barabara lamented.
Local police are investigating the death as a murder and have identified Cheptegei’s former partner as the primary suspect.
The two were reportedly embroiled in a long-running dispute over a small plot of land where Cheptegei lived, which was pending resolution at the time of the attack.
Kennedy Apindi, the divisional criminal investigations officer, confirmed the ongoing investigation.
“We have opened a file, and investigations are at an advanced stage,” Apindi told the BBC.
When the suspect, who is currently hospitalized due to injuries sustained during the attack, is released, he will face murder charges.
REBECCA CHEPTEGEI: Neighbour Recalls Horrific Moment The Olympian Was Set on Fire
