Dickson Ndiema, the man who set Ugandan athlete Rebeca Cheptegei on fire has died while undergoing treatment at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret.

The hospital confirmed that Ndiema died on Monday September 9, 2024 at night while at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), where he had been admitted.

His death occurred just a few days after Cheptegei’s death at the same hospital.

Ndiema had attacked Cheptegei, who is his ex-lover at her home in Trans Nzoia County, dousing her with petrol and setting her on fire.

Cheptegei suffered more than 80% burns, while Ndiema sustained over 30% burns.

Cheptegei will be laid to rest on Saturday in Uganda, and she will be given a military burial.

Her family, led by her father, Mzee Joseph Cheptegei, confirmed that the deceased was a member of the Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF) and, therefore, she will be accorded full military honors.

The family is working with both the Kenyan and Ugandan governments to ensure she receives a befitting send-off in Bukwo in Eastern Uganda.

A postmortem examination on Cheptegei’s body will be conducted at the hospital on Wednesday.

“The hospital requested that we have the postmortem done, and we accepted because it will help us understand the cause of her death and also provide closure for us as we mourn her passing,” said Mzee Cheptegei.

After the postmortem, the body will be removed from the morgue on Thursday morning and handed over to the family and the Uganda People’s Defence Forces.

It will then be escorted to her home in Endebes, Trans Nzoia, where it will stay for a night vigil.

“She lived there, and we want to give the residents an opportunity to pay their last respects and offer prayers,” he explained.

On Friday, the body will be taken by road to Bukwo in Uganda for another overnight vigil ahead of the burial on Saturday.

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