Man accused of fatally burning Olympian Rebecca Cheptegei dies in hospital

A man accused of burning to death Rebecca Cheptegei, who competed at the Olympic Games, has died in hospital.

Ugandan athlete Cheptegei, who ran in the marathon at the Paris 2024 Olympics, had been pronounced dead earlier this month after being doused in petrol and set on fire.

She was rushed to the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret, Kenya, but died on 5 September as a result of the serious and horrific injuries she suffered.

The man identified as the alleged attacker was Dickson Ndiema, an ex-boyfriend of the Olympic athlete, who also sustained burn injuries in the attack.

Reuters reports that they were told by Daniel Lang'at, a spokesperson at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret, Kenya, that Dickson Ndiema Marangach had died yesterday (9 September).

They said: "He died from his injuries, the burns he sustained."

Rebecca Cheptegei was an Olympic athlete for Uganda, and died after being set on fire. (Jiang Qiming/China News Service/VCG via Getty Images)

Cheptegei was attacked on 1 September and suffered burns over more than 75 percent of her body, while Reuters reports that her alleged killer 'suffered 30 percent burns'.

She had been returning home after going to church with her children, and four days later the hospital announced: "Unfortunately, we lost her after all her organs failed."

A local police report said that Cheptegei had been confronted by Ndemia and had been arguing over a piece of land when the man allegedly doused the woman in petrol and set her alight.

"The couple were heard quarrelling outside their house," local police chief Jeremiah ole Kosiom said in a statement.

"During the altercation, the boyfriend was seen pouring a liquid on the woman before burning her."

Dickson Ndemia was facing allegations of burning his ex-girlfriend to death, and he has now died from burns he sustained. (Facebook)

The Olympic athlete's father told The Star his daughter knew her killer, and the two of them had allegedly been due to appear before the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) in Kitale, Kenya, over a land dispute.

He said: "They were just friends and I wonder why he wanted to take away things belonging to my daughter.

"Her attacker was a friend they met in Kenya and my daughter trusted him.

"They fell out recently but the suspect sneaked into her compound on Sunday afternoon, armed with five litres of petrol and hid in a poultry house.

"Rebecca was outside the house when the suspect appeared and immediately poured petrol on her before lighting the fire.

"My daughter called for help by asking her sister who was in the home to bring a blanket to put off the fire but the suspect who was armed with a machete chased her away and Rebecca burnt."