By AFP 31 December 2023 | 3:39 pm Ugandan athlete Benjamin Kiplagat has been found dead in Kenya, police said Sunday, with local media reporting he had been murdered. (FILES) Uganda’s Benjamin Kiplagat competes in the Men’s 3000m Steeplechase Round 1 during the athletics event at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in Rio de Janeiro on August 15, 2016. – Ugandan athlete Benjamin Kiplagat has been found dead in Kenya, police said on December 31, 2023, with local media reports saying he had been murdered. (Photo by Fabrice COFFRINI / AFP) Ugandan athlete Benjamin Kiplagat has been found dead in Kenya, police said Sunday, with local media reporting he had been murdered. The Kenyan-born Kiplagat, 34, had represented Uganda internationally in the 3,000m steeplechase, including at several Olympic Games and World Championships. His body was found in a car on Saturday night on the outskirts of the Rift Valley town of Eldoret, which is home to many athletes who train in the high-altitude area. “An investigation has been launched and officers are on the ground pursuing leads,” local police commander Stephen Okal told reporters in Eldoret. He said Kiplagat’s body had a deep knife wound to his neck, suggesting he was stabbed. Media reports said he had been training in the Eldoret area before going to Uganda to take part in athletics competitions. Kiplagat, whose running career spanned about 18 years, won the silver medal in the 3,000m steeplechase at the 2008 World Junior Championships and bronze at the Africa Championships in 2012. His death follows the killing in October 2021 of Kenyan distance running star Agnes Tirop who was found stabbed to death at the age of 25 in her home in Iten, a training hub near Eldoret. Her husband Ibrahim Rotich went on trial for her murder last month. The 43-year-old has denied the charge against him and was freed on bail just before the trial opened. Tirop was a double world 10,000m bronze medallist and 2015 world cross country champion who also finished fourth in the 5,000m at the Tokyo Olympics. She also smashed the world women-only record in the 10km road race in Germany in the month before her killing. 4 mins ago Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) has lauded the Peace in South-East Project (PISE-P) initiative, saying it was a bold and courageous way to restore tranquility in the region. 1 day ago Tens of thousands of women residents in Kano State have gathered at Silver Jubilee roundabout to show solidarity for Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf. The women came out in their large numbers to seek for divine intervention in favour of the governor at the Supreme Court. The women were advocating for justice in the ongoing election… 1 day ago …commends gov for prompt salary payment, 50% hazard allowance, solid infrastructure, others The Nigerian Medical Association, Kogi State chapter, has lauded Governor Yahaya Bello for his massive investments in Kogi health sector, declaring that the governor’s giant strides in the sector are unmatched in the country. The medical doctors said under the administration of Governor… 1 day ago In his New Year message, Olufemi Ajadi Oguntoyinbo, the gubernatorial candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) in Ogun State during the 2024 governorship election, expressed a heartfelt call to action for Nigerians, urging them to include increased participation in the nation’s electoral process in their New Year resolutions. Ajadi’s resonating message emphasised the… 1 day ago The management of the National Arts Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos, says the gas explosion which occurred at the theatre complex on Saturday night “is a minor setback which did not affect any part of the cultural edifice.” 1 day ago Ugandan athlete Benjamin Kiplagat has been found dead in Kenya, police said Sunday, with local media reporting he had been murdered. 1 day ago Police in Lagos State arrested a 23-year-old suspected cultist on Sunday and recovered a firearm from him. 1 day ago The Allied Peoples Movement (APM), on Sunday, extended a warm welcome to Nigerians as they enter the new year, emphasizing that it represents a fresh start in their collective journey towards national renewal. The APM noted that the country has faced numerous challenges in recent years, which have resulted in the impoverishment of millions of… 1 day ago Dr. Doyin Odebowale, a close ally of the former Governor of Ondo State, late Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, at the weekend revealed that some appointees of the deceased governor betrayed him as they allegedly worked against his interest. Odebowale, former Senior Special, former Senior Special Assistant on Special Duties and Strategies to the late governor, state that… 1 day ago Key education stakeholders say government at national and sub-national levels must give the much needed attention and show sincere commitment to the development of the education sector, to make necessary impact in 2024.
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