Suspects arrested for killing Ugandan Kiplagat

The two men suspected of killing the Ugandan Olympic athlete Benjamin Kiplagat on December 31 in Kenya’s Rift Valley was brought to justice and jailed this Tuesday.

Kenyan police announced the arrest of two men, aged 25 and 30, described as “known criminals who terrorized the population”, near Eldoret, where Kiplagat’s body was found, stabbed in the neck, in a car, during the night from Saturday to Sunday.

Police said the victim, who was driving a car belonging to his brother, was “attacked” by two men on a motorcycle. A knife suspected to have been used to kill Kiplagat was recovered from one of the suspects. The motive for the killing is believed to be robbery because money and a cellphone were taken from Kiplagat.

Kiplagat, born in Kenya and 34 years old, has represented Uganda in the 3,000 meters steeplechase at three editions of the Olympic Games and at six World Championships. In his 18-year career, Kiplagat particularly distinguished himself in the junior categories, winning a silver medal in the 3,000 m steeplechase at the 2008 world junior championships.

Kiplagat is the fourth athlete killed in the area in recent years. The two-time world cross-country champion, Agnes Tyropwas stabbed to death in his home in the nearby city of Iten in 2021. His wife was tried and accused of murder.

The decomposing body of the Bahraini runner born in Kenya Damaris Muthee was found in the home of an Ethiopian athlete in 2022. The athlete was the main suspect in his death, but was not arrested.

The Rwandan runner Rubayita Siragi fHe was killed in August in what police believe was a fight with another athlete over a woman.