A Kenyan court on Monday, October 28, 2024, found two Kenyan nationals guilty of the murder of Ugandan athlete Benjamin Kiplagat on December 31, 2023.
The Eldoret High Court, led by Justice Reuben Nyakundi, cited compelling scientific evidence, including CCTV footage showing 30-year-old Peter Ushuru and 25-year-old David Ekai pursuing Kiplagat as he drove towards his home in Kimumu Estate, with one attacker armed with a knife.
Despite their attempts to deny involvement, with Ushuru claiming he was at a nightclub and Ekai saying that he was robbed by a stranger at the time of the incident, the court found their defenses unconvincing, with Justice Nyakundi underscoring the irrefutable nature of the visual and forensic evidence presented.
“The scientific evidence unequivocally places both of you at the scene of this heinous crime,” Justice Nyakundi said.
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The court is set to announce their sentencing on November 4, 2024.
The court’s ruling marks a significant step towards justice for Kiplagat and his family.
“No mother should have to bury her child. We hope this verdict brings some peace,” Kiplagat’s mother said after the court session.
Kiplagat, a renowned athlete and a silver medalist at the 2008 World Junior Championships and Rio Olympics, was hacked to death upon returning home on December 31, 2023. Those who witnessed Cpl. Kiplagat’s car heard screams and witnessed the vehicle swerving before it finally stopped. The local residents came out of their houses after hearing noise and looked around in panic.
His death is a loss to the sports fraternity, family, and friends.
