By Caroline Kirabo
Two suspects have been arrested over the murder of Benjamin Kiplagat, a slain Ugandan athlete.
The two men, believed to be in their 30s, were arrested on the outskirts of Eldoret town in Uasin Gishu County, local police commander Stephen Okal said.
“The two suspects are known criminals who have been terrorizing members of the public,” Okal told Netizen posts.
He added that one of the suspects had been arrested with a knife believed to have been used in the killing.
Eldoret is known for being home to numerous athletes who undergo training in the high-altitude region.
The East African athletics community was thrown into another round of mourning following the death of a Ugandan runner in Eldoret, Kenya.
Moiben Sub-County Police Commander Stephen Okal said a team of officers had been dispatched to investigate the alleged murder of Kenyan-born Ugandan athlete Benjamin Kiplagat.
Okal confirmed that Kiplagat’s body was found with a deep knife cut on the neck inside his brother’s car in Texas, near Kimumu Secondary School along Eldoret-Iten Road.
Our officers are on the ground following crucial leads,” he informed the media. He was allegedly murdered on Saturday night, December 30.
Kiplagat, who has died at the age of 37, was the 2008 World Junior Silver medalist in the 3000m steeplechase and has represented Kenya in various Olympics and World Championships events.
Throughout his 17-year career, he achieved numerous accolades, including a silver medal at the World Under-20 Championships, a bronze medal at the African Championships, and a Top 8 ranking in both the Commonwealth Games and the All-African Games.
While testifying at Eldoret High Court, John Samoei,a witness, said that the athlete was killed due to his ex-marital affairs.
According to him, Rotich had disclosed to him that Tirop was in another relationship with an officer from the Kenya Defence Force (KDF).