A Kenyan court has sentenced two men, Peter Ushuru Khalumi and David Ekai Lokere, to 35 years in prison for the murder of Ugandan athlete Benjamin Kiplagat.
The Olympic steeplechaser was fatally stabbed in Eldoret on New Year’s Eve in 2023.
The attack, which shocked both Kenya and Uganda, was reportedly premeditated, with CCTV footage showing the men following Kiplagat and intentionally killing him.
While the exact motive remains unclear, police suggested it may have been a robbery, though no items were taken from the victim.
Kiplagat’s mother had appealed for life sentences, emphasizing the senseless cruelty of the act, but the court handed down the 35-year sentences.
Kiplagat, 34, was a celebrated athlete who had represented Uganda in three Olympic Games and held the national record in the 3,000m steeplechase.