‘The signs were there’ – Father of slain Ugandan athlete blames police for negligence

Joseph Cheptegei, father of Ugandan long distance runner Rebecca Cheptegei who died after an alleged attack by her ex-lover, has blamed the police for not dealing with issue early enough.

Rebecca succumbed to severe burn wounds after her former partner allegedly doused her with petrol before setting her a blaze at her home in Trans Nzoia County on September 1.

Joseph said the horrific incident was a culmination of a dispute that had been there for many months with the athlete nearly killed by her ex-boyfriend before she escaped early this year.

Ugandan athlete Rebecca Cheptegei's funeral plans are set following her tragic death due to an alleged attack by her ex-partner.

“In February, they had a dispute and this guy wanted to hack my daughter and she had to run away. We reported the matter to the police,” the athlete’s father told

“It reached a point she realised this guy was just taking money from her and she didn’t see the benefit of the relationship. So, she decided to do her thigs privately because the guy wanted to be in charge of everything, which she declined.”

Joseph says Rebecca ended the relationship after her near-death experience in February but the threats to her life continued.

Uganda’s Rebecca Cheptegei succumbed to burn wounds following an attacker her boyfriend, bringing back memories of other Kenyan runners who were tragically killed by their lovers.

“When the issue went to police, the guy wanted to take her property by force. He got married to someone else and even brought her here,” Joseph added, blaming the police for not nipping the issue in the bud, before things turned for the worse this month.

“If the government had responded well, she would not have died because the signs were there for long,” he went on.

Cheptegei, who represented Uganda in marathon at the Paris 2024 Olympics, was born on the Kenyan side of the Kenya-Uganda border but decided to cross over to the neigbouring country to realise her athletics dream due to the stiff competition in Kenya.

Doctors have detailed the severe medical challenges faced by Ugandan athlete Rebecca Cheptegei after an attack, leading to her tragic death.

She would join the Uganda’s People Defence Forces in 2008 and rose through the rank to sergeant as she represented Uganda in various competitions.

The 33-year-old will be laid to rest at her ancestral home in Bukwo, Uganda on September 14.