Man Who Killed Ugandan Olympian Dies From Burns Sustained in Attack
The tragic death or killed of Olympic runner Rebecca Cheptegei has taken a new turn as the man accused of fatally attacking her has too died from severe burns he sustained during the attack. The incident has triggered an uproar and restarted various conversations about domestic violence among female athletes in East Africa. Cheptegei, 33, a Ugandan marathoner in the just-ended Paris Olympics died of injuries when more than 75 percent of her body got burned. The assailant who was her former boyfriend with critical burns also died a few days later in the Kenyan hospital.
Incident That Shook Uganda and Kenya
The world was shocked by the attack on Rebecca Cheptegei on 1 September 2024. According to media, Cheptegei’s ex-boyfriend Marangach bathed her in petrol and set her alight when she came home from church with her children. She suffered life-threatening burns to over three-quarters of her body in the attack. Cheptegei died on 5 September despite receiving intensive treatment at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret, Kenya.
Her attacker, Marangach, also suffered serious burns in the attack and sustained burns to over 41 percent of his body. He had been treated at the same hospital but later succumbed to respiratory failure due to severe airway burns and sepsis. The death was confirmed by the hospital chief executive officer, Philip Kirwa, who said injuries sustained during the assault contributed to his death.
The Impact on the Family and Community
The tragic loss of Cheptegei has plunged her family, friends, and the greater athletics fraternity into mourning. Her father, Joseph Cheptegei, mixed feelings between sorrow and anger over the loss of his daughter: “This guy is dead because he killed my daughter. He has died because of his actions,” Joseph said in reflection on the tragic events that unfolded.
Whereas to some this was a case of justice, to others, it was only justice if Marangach found himself in court, being tried and sentenced for his misdeeds. To some, including Beatrice Ayikoru, the secretary-general of the Uganda Olympic Committee:. “I don’t wish bad things on anyone, but of course, I would have loved for him to face the law as an example for others so that these attacks on women can stop,” she told Reuters.
Domestic Violence in East Africa’s Athletic Community
The death of Rebecca Cheptegei is part of a disturbing trend of violence against female athletes in East Africa, especially in Kenya and Uganda. For years, rights groups have issued warnings over the risks women athletes face, as many of them become targets of exploitation and violence because of their success and money earned.
The results have been alarming in Kenya, where most of the elite athletes do their training in high-altitude regions: female runners have fallen victim to some appalling cases of domestic violence. In October 2021, one such shocking murder-it was a rising Kenyan athlete-named Agnes Tirop, drew the attention of the world to this issue. Tirop was found dead with multiple stab wounds, with charges filed against her husband for the murder. Her death inspired an organization called Tirop’s Angels to come into being, catering for victims of domestic violence among Kenya’s athletic population.
According to The Daily Monitor, Viola Cheptoo, co-founder of Tirop’s Angels, said: “The shock of Rebecca’s death is still fresh. Justice really would have been for him to sit in jail and think about what he had done. This is not positive news whatsoever.” For Cheptoo, as for many others, Marangach’s death denies the opportunity for the legal process that could have set a precedent against domestic violence.
Domestic Violence: A Widespread Issue
Tragic deaths of female athletes like Cheptegei and Tirop have underlined the bigger problem of domestic violence in East Africa. According to a 2022 Kenyan government survey, 34% of girls and women aged between 15 and 49 years have experienced physical violence. For married women, the figures are even more startling, with 41% reporting facing violence from their partners.
While domestic violence is an issue worldwide, female athletes are exceptionally vulnerable because of their visibility and financial success. In most instances, prize money in large sums will attract predators who use the money to exploit and dominate them. The deaths of Cheptegei and Tirop have further emphasized that changes are needed systemically in how domestic violence is being confronted, particularly within the sports community.
According to a 2023 report by UN Women, every 11 minutes, somewhere in the world, a woman is killed by a family member. But the grim statistics reveal the urgency of addressing domestic violence and finding ways of protection for women both within and outside the athletic sphere.
Need for Change and Support
The calls for serious measures to protect female athletes from violence are yet again loud as the East African athletic community is badly hurt by such a tragedy. Organizations, like those to which Tirop belonged-the Angels-offer critical support. Much more is required to be done systemically. Serious legal reforms, sensitization, and application of proper protection mechanisms for athletes will contribute toward preventing tragedies.
For now, the memory of Rebecca Cheptegei is a grim reminder of the risks so many female athletes take on. Though justice may never be fully served for her, at best, her story could inspire an increased degree of domestic violence combat and rescue from further harm for those who are susceptible.
We can only hope that Cheptegei’s legacy lives on, both in the achievements she has made within her sport and the fight to ensure no other athlete has to go through what she did.
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