Rebecca Cheptegei: Olympic runner's ex-boyfriend accused of setting her on fire 'also dead'

The former partner of Ugandan athlete Rebecca Cheptegei, who was accused of killing her by dousing her in petrol and setting her on fire, has reportedly died in hospital from burns sustained during the attack.

Cheptegei, 33, who competed in the marathon at the Paris Olympics, suffered burns to more than 75% of her body in the September 1 attack and died four days later at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret, Kenya.

Her alleged killer, Dickson Ndiema, died on Monday night in the same hospital's intensive care unit, Kenya's The Star newspaper reported on Tuesday.She is the third elite sportswoman to be killed in Kenya since October 2021. Her death has put the spotlight again on domestic violence in the East African country.