Sports Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has addressed the tragic death of Rebecca Cheptegei, who passed away while undergoing treatment at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) in Eldoret.

Cheptegei, who recently competed at the 2024 Paris Olympics, succumbed to burn injuries inflicted by her estranged lover on Sunday, September 1, at her home in Trans Nzoia County.

According to Dr. Kimani Mbugua, her attending physician at MTRH, Cheptegei suffered third-degree burns and died due to acute organ failure while in the Intensive Care Unit, where she had been receiving treatment for the last three days.

CS Murkomen, offering his condolences to the Olympian’s family, stated that the Kenyan government is committed to ensuring justice for Rebecca.

“Her passing is not only a loss to Uganda and the athletics community but to the entire region. This tragedy is a stark reminder of the urgent need to combat gender-based violence, which has increasingly affected even elite sports. The government is committed to ensuring justice for Rebecca. No one should have to endure such suffering. May her soul rest in peace,” said Murkomen in a statement.

Rebecca’s father, Joseph Cheptegei, has called for justice, expressing his anguish over the loss of his daughter, who was the family’s primary provider.

“This is a devastating loss for us. We depended on her, and now we are at a loss. I urge the government to ensure justice is served. As of now, the man responsible is in the hospital without any security, and he might even escape,” he told reporters.

He further revealed that their previous complaints about the boyfriend’s harassment had been ignored. “If the authorities had acted more swiftly, we might have saved her life. He even followed her to Uganda when she returned home, despite us alerting the police. Nothing was done,” he lamented.

Before her death on Thursday, September 5, 2024, in the morning, arrangements were underway to transfer her to Nairobi for specialized treatment.