Dickson Ndiema, the former partner of athlete Rebecca Cheptegei, has passed away at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret.
The hospital confirmed that Ndiema passed away Monday night in the ICU, where he had been admitted. His death comes just days after Rebeca Cheptegei also passed away at the same hospital.
Ndiema tragically attacked Rebeca Cheptegei at her home in Trans Nzoia, dousing her with petrol and setting her on fire, a violent act that left both of them with severe injuries. Cheptegei suffered burns covering more than 80 percent of her body, while Ndiema sustained burns on over 30 percent.
Cheptegei will be laid to rest on Saturday in Uganda, receiving a military burial. Her father, Mzee Joseph Cheptegei, confirmed that she was a member of the Uganda People’s Defense Forces (UPDF), and arrangements have been made for her to be honored with full military rites. Both the Kenyan and Ugandan governments are collaborating to ensure she receives a dignified send-off in Bukwo, located in Eastern Uganda.
A postmortem is scheduled to take place on Wednesday at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital to determine the exact cause of her death. Mzee Cheptegei stated, “The hospital asked us to have the postmortem done, and we accepted because it will help us understand what led to her death, providing us with closure as we mourn her passing.”
Following the postmortem, Cheptegei’s body will be taken from the morgue on Thursday morning and handed over to her family and the UPDF. It will then be escorted to her home in Endebes, Trans Nzoia, where a night vigil will be held, allowing local residents to pay their last respects and offer prayers.
On Friday, the body will be transported by road to Bukwo in Uganda for another overnight vigil, leading up to her burial on Saturday. High-ranking officials from both Uganda and Kenya are expected to attend the funeral.
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