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Key suspects in murder of Kenyan-born Ugandan athlete Kiplagat nabbed
Uganda's Benjamin Kiplagat competes in the Men's 3000m steeplechase race heats at the 2019 IAAF Athletics World Championships at the Khalifa International stadium in Doha on October 1, 2019.
What you need to know:
- Moiben Sub-County Police Commander Stephen Okal confirmed that the two suspects were arrested on Monday with one being caught in Uasin Gishu County while the other was arrested in Trans Nzoia County
- The 2008 World Junior 3,000m steeplechase silver medalist Benjamin Kiplagat, who represents Uganda was found murdered along the road on his way home located in Kimumu
- According to Okal, they received a message from the public that an accident had occurred and the officers visited the scene at about 5am on Sunday
Police in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County have arrested two main suspects believed to have been involved in the murder of Kenyan-born Ugandan athlete Benjamin Kiplagat on Sunday morning in Kimumu estate.
Moiben Sub-County Police Commander Stephen Okal confirmed that the two suspects were arrested on Monday with one being caught in Uasin Gishu County while the other was arrested in Trans Nzoia County.
“It is true we have made a breakthrough in arresting the suspects who are in custody and they will be arraigned in court on Tuesday. The two are the ones who were captured on the CCTV footage that is in our possession,” confirmed Okal.
The 2008 World Junior 3,000m steeplechase silver medalist Benjamin Kiplagat, who represents Uganda, was found murdered along the road on his way home located in Kimumu.
According to Okal, they received a message from the public that an accident had occurred and the officers visited the scene at about 5am on Sunday.
Upon scrutiny, the officers found that there was a man lying in the driver’s seat and he had been stabbed in his chest and had a deep cut on his neck, noting that the vehicle hit the motorcycle which is believed the owners used to block him before committing the crime and fleeing.
“We are still investigating the incident to ascertain what really happened but what we can confirm is that the man found dead is an international athlete called Benjamin Kiplagat,” said Okal.
Kiplagat, who hails from Marakwet East, has been training in Eldoret and its environs before heading to Uganda to take part in various competitions.
He has represented Uganda in various events including the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi, India where he finished fourth missing the podium narrowly, the 2011 World Championships Daegu, South Korea where he finished in 10th position and the 2012 Olympic Games in London, United Kingdom where he reached semi-finals.
He also bagged a bronze medal at the Africa Championships in Porto Novo in Benin in 2012 before finishing in the heats at the 2015 World Championships in Beijing, China, the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro and the 2019 World Championships in Doha, Qatar.
