In a landmark ruling, a Kenyan court has sentenced two men to 35 years each for the tragic murder of Ugandan Olympic athlete Benjamin Kiplagat. The sentencing comes nearly a year after Kiplagat, an accomplished steeplechase runner and Olympian, was brutally killed on New Year’s Eve in Eldoret, Kenya, a town widely recognized as a hub for elite athletic training.
Justice Reuben Nyakundi, presiding over the High Court in Eldoret, condemned the actions of the convicted men, Peter Ushuru Khalumi and David Ekai Lokere, describing the murder as a deliberate, heartless act against a defenseless individual. CCTV evidence revealed that Khalumi and Lokere followed Kiplagat as he sat in his car, ultimately carrying out a premeditated attack that ended his life.
The murder sent shockwaves across both Kenya and Uganda, particularly in the athletic community, as Kiplagat’s death follows a troubling trend of violent incidents involving prominent athletes in recent years.
During the sentencing, Kiplagat’s mother made an emotional plea for a life sentence, recounting her son’s journey from running barefoot to representing Uganda on the world stage as an Olympian. Despite her appeal, the court opted for a 35-year sentence, which the family later expressed satisfaction with, acknowledging that justice had been served.
Kiplagat, who was 34 at the time of his death, was renowned for his achievements in the 3,000-meter steeplechase. He represented Uganda in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, where he reached the final, and subsequently competed in two more Olympic Games, leaving behind a legacy as the Ugandan record-holder in his event.