These are the first pictures of the ex-boyfriend accused of torching Olympic marathon runner Rebecca Cheptegei to death in front of her horrified daughter. 

Cheptegei, 33, suffered horrendous burns to 80 per cent of her body in Sunday’s brutal attack that was reportedly carried out by Dickson Ndiema, according to medical officials. 

She was rushed to the intensive care unit at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret, Kenya, but the facility’s acting director Dr Owen Menach confirmed Cheptegei died late last night after all her organs failed.

It comes after pictures of Ndiema have been revealed, as he himself recovers from burn injuries he sustained in the attack. 

Cheptegei has two children, aged nine and 11, who are fathered by a different man living in Uganda. 

One of Cheptegei’s daughters is said to have witnessed the assault at her mother’s home. She told Kenya’s The Standard: ‘He kicked me while I tried to run to the rescue of my mother.

‘I immediately cried out for help, attracting a neighbour who tried to extinguish the flames with water, but it was not possible,’ added the girl, who has not been named. 

Cheptegei’s father Joseph also described his daughter’s attacker as an ‘animal’ who tormented her for months before setting her ablaze.

Olympic marathon runner Rebecca Cheptegei (left) pictured with her ex-boyfriend Dickson Ndiema (right), who allegedly doused her in petrol and set her alight

Ugandan Olympian Rebecca Cheptegei (centre), has died in hospital, it has been announced

Ndiema (pictured), the ex-boyfriend of marathon runner Rebecca Cheptegei, has been pictured for the first time

Cheptegei, 33, suffered burns to 80 per cent of her body in Sunday’s brutal attack that was allegedly carried out by her ex-boyfriend, according to medical officials

Cheptegei’s sister breaks down in a press conference following the attack on the Olympic athlete

One of Cheptegei’s daughters said Ndiema (pictured) ‘kicked me while I tried to run to the rescue of my mother’

Rebecca’s father Joseph Cheptegei, speaking earlier this week from hospital alongside his other daughter Evalyne Chelagat, claimed that the two were fighting over her land at Endebes in Trans Nzoia shortly before the alleged attack occurred

Cheptegei is seen in this image taken from social media

Speaking earlier this week from hospital alongside his other daughter Evalyne Chelagat, Mr Cheptegei claimed that his daughter and Ndiema were fighting over her land at Endebes in Trans Nzoia shortly before the alleged attack occurred. 

‘They were just friends and I wonder why he wanted to take away things belonging to my daughter,’ Cheptegei Snr told The Star.

Just hours before the Sunday ordeal, they were both reportedly appearing before the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) in Kitale over a land tussle.

‘I wish to state that my wounded daughter is married and her husband is in Uganda,’ Joseph told The Standard.

‘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.

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‘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.’ 

Trans Nzoia County Police Commander Jeremiah Ole Kosiom confirmed that the athlete and the man had wrangles over the plot in Kinyoro.

‘The man is believed to have sneaked into the compound at around 2pm on Sunday while the woman and the children were in church. Upon returning, Dickson, who had procured petrol, began pouring it on Rebecca before he set her a blaze,’ Kosiom claimed.

‘The two were rescued by neighbours who put out the fire and rushed them to hospital at Kitale County Referral Hospital where they were attended to with multiple burns. At the scene a five litre yellow jerrican, a bag and a black marvin believed to be for Dickson and a burnt mobile phone believed to be for Rebecca was found and collected for forensic analysis,’ he added.

Mr Cheptegei also added that the marathon runner’s daughters, aged nine and 11, were at church at the time of the attack and were in agony under the care of their grandmother.

‘Her children are crying in the house after hearing about the attack. I have asked my wife to take care of them as we hope for my daughter’s recovery,’ he said. 

Cheptegei is pictured having swapped shirts with Italian athletes

Cheptegei’s ex-boyfriend, Ndiema, is pictured in a red tracksuit outside a home

One of Cheptegei’s daughters said: ‘I immediately cried out for help, attracting a neighbour who tried to extinguish the flames with water, but it was not possible.’ Pictured: Ndiema 

The president of the Uganda Olympic Committee (UOC) Donald Rukare said in a post on X today: ‘We have learnt of the sad passing on of our Olympic athlete Rebecca Cheptegei… following a vicious attack by her boyfriend.

‘This was a cowardly and senseless act that has led to the loss of a great athlete. Her legacy will continue to endure,’ he added. 

A press release from the UOC bearing Rukare’s signature later urged law enforcement agencies ‘to take swift and decisive action to bring the perpetrator to justice’.

Peter Ogwang, the Minister of State for Education & Sports also said: ‘I have just received disturbing news about the tragic death of Uganda’s athlete Rebecca Cheptegei this morning in Kenya. 

‘The Kenyan authorities are investigating the circumstances under which she died and a more detailed report & program will be provided in due course. 

‘The long-distance runner represented us in the recently concluded 2024 Paris Olympics. I send my deepest condolences to the family, relatives, sports fraternity and Ugandans at large.’

The horrific incident took place just weeks after Cheptegei had taken part in the marathon at the Paris Olympics, where she placed 44th. 

Kenyan police confirmed the runner was attacked at her house in western Trans Nzoia County, close to the Ugandan border, where she had recently relocated to be closer to superior Kenyan training facilities. 

Trans Nzoia County Police Commander Jeremiah ole Kosiom said her former partner  Dickson Ndiema had bought a can of petrol, poured it on her and set her ablaze during a disagreement on Sunday.

Police discovered a five-litre jerry can, a bag, and a burned phone at the scene of the incident, according to Kenyan newspaper The Nation.

Cheptegei won the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships in Thailand in 2022

(From L to R) Kenya’s Rosemary Wanjiru, Israel’s Lonah Chemtai Salpeter, Uganda’s Rebecca Cheptegei and Kenya’s Selly Chepyego Kaptich compete in the women’s marathon final during the World Athletics Championships in Budapest on August 26, 2023 

According to Cheptegei Snr and Police Commander Kosiom, the ex-boyfriend sneaked into his daughter’s home to stage the attack.

‘The boyfriend is believed to have sneaked into the compound at around 2pm on Sunday while the wife and the children were in Church,’ Kosiom said, as per the Kenyan newspaper The Standard. 

‘Upon returning, Dickson, who had procured petrol, began pouring it on Rebecca before he set her ablaze.

‘The couple were heard quarrelling outside their house. During the altercation, the boyfriend was seen pouring a liquid on the woman before burning her. 

‘The suspect was also caught by the fire and sustained serious burns.’

According to Menach, the alleged ex-boyfriend attacker has also been admitted to the same hospital with 30 per cent burns.

Meanwhile, Kenyan media reported that one of Cheptegei’s daughters witnessed the assault at her mother’s home 

A press release from the UOC bearing President Donald Rukare’s signature urged law enforcement agencies ‘to take swift and decisive action to bring the perpetrator to justice’

Cheptegei, pictured, finished 44th in the women’s marathon at the Paris 2024 Olympics

‘He kicked me while I tried to run to the rescue of my mother,’ Kenya’s The Standard reported her as saying.

‘I immediately cried out for help, attracting a neighbour who tried to extinguish the flames with water, but it was not possible,’ said the girl, who has not been named.

The Uganda Athletics Federation also reported Cheptegei’s death and paid tribute to their athlete in a statement on X.

‘We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of our athlete, Rebecca Cheptegei early this morning who tragically fell victim to domestic violence,’ it said.

‘As a federation, we condemn such acts and call for justice. May her soul rest in peace.’

British long-distance runner Eilish McColgan has pleaded for an end to domestic violence following the ‘heartbreaking’ death of Ugandan athlete Rebecca Cheptegei. 

McColgan, who competed in the 10,000m in Paris, wrote on X: ‘This is heartbreaking.

‘Even more heartbreaking that it’s not the first time the athletics community has lost such an incredible female athlete to domestic violence. It needs to stop! RIP Rebecca.’

The fatal assault on Cheptegei comes two years after Kenyan-born athlete Damaris Mutua was found dead in Iten, a world-famous running hub in the Rift Valley.

And in 2021, record-breaking Kenyan runner Agnes Tirop, 25, was found stabbed to death at her home in Iten in October 2021. 

Record-breaking Kenyan distance runner Agnes Tirop was found dead on October 13, 2021 with stab wounds to her stomach in a suspected homicide, athletics officials said

Agnes Tirop is pictured with her husband Ibrahim Rotich, who is now on trial, accused of murdering the promising track star

The promising young runner, who had won 10,000m bronze medals in two consecutive World Championships and came fourth in the 5000m at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, was found dead at her home in near Eldoret on October 13, 2021 in a pool of her own blood.

A coroner ruled she had died as a result of the massive blood loss from a series of savage stab wounds to her neck and abdomen.

The horrific discovery prompted authorities to launch a manhunt for her husband, Ibrahim Rotich.

He was detained hours later after a breathless late-night chase which only ended when the fleeing Rotich slammed his vehicle into a lorry as he sought to escape several police cars bearing down on him. 

Rotich is now on trial for the murder of his wife Tirop – a charge he denies. 

The trial only got underway in November last year, more than two years after Tirop’s death, following a court’s decision to release Rotich on bail following a lengthy period of detention.  

Everlyne Jepngetich, Tirop’s younger sister, told the court late last year the deceased had suffered significant abuse at the hands of her husband and said she came home hours before the murder to find her sister had been badly beaten.

Latest figures from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics published in January 2023 found that 34 per cent of women in the country had experienced physical violence since the age of 15.