Cheptegei’s alleged killer Dickson Ndiema dies

Dickson Ndiema, the man accused of setting Ugandan Olympian Rebecca Cheptegei on fire, leading to her death, is dead.

Sources at an Eldoret hospital on Tuesday told the Nation that Ndiema, who was admitted to the facility with burn wounds, breathed his last on Monday night.

Ndiema was accused of attacking Cheptegei at her home in Trans Nzoia over an unresolved land dispute.

He allegedly ambushed the marathoner as she returned home, before dousing her with petrol and setting her alight.

Efforts by the athlete to save her life were unsuccessful as her attacker continued to douse her with more petrol.

Cheptegei sustained more than 80 percent burns, according to medical teams that attended to her at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH), while Ndiema sustained over 30 percent burns.

Cheptegei will be buried on Saturday in Uganda.