Three men who visited Kiptum’s house before his death are arrested

Updated Wednesday, February 14, 2024 – 13:53

The Kenya National Police confirmed this Wednesday the arrest of three of the four men who visited the house of Kelvin Kiptumworld marathon record holder, four days before dying this Sunday in a traffic accident in Kenya.

The three were arrested this Wednesday at the police station in the city of Kaptagat in Elgeyo Marakwet county (west), where the athlete was from, and were later transferred to the city of Iten, just over fifty kilometers away, to be interrogated.

Detectives want to question those individuals, whose identities have not been released, to establish the nature of their visit after Kiptum’s father, Samson Cheruiyotraised the alarm hours after his tragic death, local media indicated.

The father asked the Kenyan Government on Monday to investigate the circumstances of his son’s death.

“There were some people who arrived a few days ago looking for Kiptum, but they refused to identify themselves. I asked them to show me some identification, but they chose to leave,” said Cheruiyot, in statements reported by local media.

“Kiptum was my only son. He has left me, his mother and his children. (…) I am deeply saddened,” added the father.

10 days until the funeral

Although the date of the athlete’s funeral has not been officially announced, sources from the burial committee assured the British network BBC that it will take place on February 24.

The 24-year-old athlete died along with his coach, the Rwandan Gervais Hakimanain a traffic accident that occurred this Sunday night on the road that connects Eldoret with Kaptagat (west), in a car driven by the athlete himself.

The Kenyan Sports Minister, Ababu Namwambatraveled to Eldoret this Monday to offer his condolences to Kiptum’s family, to whom he promised that the Government will work to offer him a “farewell to a national hero.”

The Kenya Athletics Federation (Athletics Kenya) announced this Wednesday that it has canceled the trials for the Pan African Games that were scheduled for next weekend, in honor of the marathon world record holder.

The accident unleashed a wave of condolences in Kenya and internationally praising the figure of Kiptum, called to mark an era in athletics due to his youth and for being the main candidate to go under two hours in the mythical distance.

He rose to world fame on October 8, when he set a time of 2h00:35 and clearly lowered the previous record held by his compatriot. Eliud Kipchoge with 2h01:09, achieved in Berlin on September 25, 2022.

2024-02-14 12:53:44
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