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Sentencing in Murder of Ugandan Olympic Athlete
A Kenyan court has handed down 35-year prison terms to two men convicted of murdering Ugandan athlete Benjamin Kiplagat late last year.
The Olympic steeplechaser was tragically killed on New Year’s Eve in Eldoret, a town recognized for its role as a premier training hub for athletes.
During the sentencing, Justice Reuben Nyakundi expressed the severity of the crime, stating, “Your actions were cruel to a defenceless person whose life you cut short,” while addressing the offenders, Peter Ushuru Khalumi and David Ekai Lokere.
Kiplagat’s killing resonated deeply within Kenya, a nation that has witnessed the tragic deaths of several elite sports figures in recent years.
According to the judge, evidence indicated that Khalumi and Lokere pursued Kiplagat while he was in his vehicle, and surveillance footage confirmed their deliberate intent to murder him in a premeditated attack.
On the day of the sentencing, Kiplagat’s mother made a heartfelt plea to the court, requesting that the judge impose life sentences on the defendants. She shared the struggles her son faced, having started his career running barefoot, and highlighted his transformation into a successful international athlete and a key provider for the family, as reported by the Nation newspaper.
She noted, “My son had 8,000 [Kenyan] shillings ($62; £48) and an expensive mobile phone, but the killers did not take any of the property from him. Their mission was to painfully finish him,” emphasizing the brutal nature of the attack.
Despite the court’s decision not to grant life sentences, Kiplagat’s family expressed their satisfaction with the outcome, feeling that they had received justice.
At the time of his death at age 34, Kiplagat had represented Uganda in the finals of the 3,000m steeplechase at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. He further competed in the Olympics in both 2012 and 2016 and was recognized as the national record holder for Uganda in his event.
Source
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