New Delhi: A Kenyan court has sentenced two men to 35 years in prison for killing Ugandan Olympian Benjamin Kiplagat last year. Peter Ushuru Khalumi, 30, and David Ekai Lokere, 25, were found guilty of stabbing the 34-year-old steeplechaser to death. The High Court in the northwestern city of Eldoret announced the sentence following a nine-month trial.
According to an AFP report, Judge Reuben Nyakundi pointed out the overwhelming evidence from CCTV cameras in his ruling. The footage showed the pair “intentionally killed” the athlete and because the culprits had not shown any remorse for the “premeditated crime”, they deserved a harsh sentence, the judge further added.
Plea for life sentences rejected
The judge rejected a plea from Kiplagat’s mother Elizabeth Chemweno and his two brothers who wanted the pair to be given life sentences.
Both culprits were apprehended a day after the athlete’s body was found in his car on the outskirts of Eldoret on New Year’s Eve with a deep wound to his neck.
The gruesome murder shocked the country, which is regarded as a powerhouse for long-distance running. Tributes poured in after the shocking news spread like wildfire.
During his long career, the Kenya-born Kiplagat represented Ugand in the 3,000m steeplechase at the Olympic and world stage. He qualified for the semi-finals at the 2012 Olympics in London and also featured in Rio in 2016. In 2007, he broke the three-decade-old Ugandan national 3,000m steeplechase record.
Kenya grappling with deaths and killings of prominent athletes
Home to some of the world’s top long-distance runners, Kenya’s athletics community has struggled with deadly domestic violence and entrenched doping.
Just two months ago, Ugandan Olympic marathon runner Rebecca Cheptegei was burnt to death after being set on fire by her boyfriend. The shocking incident sparked outrage across the country and sent shockwaves across the sporting community. A few days later, the man accused of dousing petrol on Cheptegei, died of injuries sustained in the horrific attack.
Besides the rampant gender-based violence in Kenya, the mental health struggles of the athletes and a lack of support have come under the spotlight in the country following a spate of deaths in the past few weeks.
According to the World Athletics Integrity Unit, more than 80 Kenyan athletes have been sanctioned for doping in the last seven years. With no means to earn, the athletes are left grappling with the financial, physical, and mental fallout of years-long bans.
Incidents of high-profile deaths and killings are at an all-time high in the Eastern African country.
