Dickson Ndiema, the ex-lover of athlete Rebeca Cheptegei, has died at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret.
Ndiema, who had been in the ICU, passed away Monday night due to injuries sustained in a violent incident involving Cheptegei.
The tragic chain of events began when Ndiema attacked Cheptegei at her home in Trans Nzoia, dousing her in petrol and setting her on fire, an act that also left him with severe burns.
Cheptegei suffered burns over 80% of her body, while Ndiema sustained injuries covering more than 30%. Cheptegei succumbed to her injuries just days earlier at the same hospital.
Cheptegei, a member of the Uganda People’s Defense Forces (UPDF), will be laid to rest with full military honors on Saturday in Bukwo, Uganda.
Her father, Mzee Joseph Cheptegei, confirmed the arrangements, adding, “We are working with both the Kenya and Uganda governments to ensure she is given a befitting send-off.”
Before her burial, a postmortem will be conducted on Wednesday to help the family gain closure.
“The hospital asked us to have the postmortem done, and we accepted because it will help us to know what led to her death and also it will be part of closure for us as we mourn her death,” said Mzee Cheptegei.
Following the postmortem, Cheptegei’s body will be transferred from the morgue on Thursday and taken to her home in Endebes, Trans Nzoia, for a night vigil.
The family plans to allow local residents time to pay their final respects.
On Friday, her body will be escorted by road to Bukwo in Uganda, where another overnight vigil will be held before the final burial on Saturday.