A Kenyan court on Tuesday sentenced two men to 35 years in prison for the murder of Ugandan Olympic athlete Benjamin Kiplagat last year.
After a nine-month trial, the High Court in the northwestern town of Eldoret last week found Peter Ushuru Khalumi, 30, and David Ekai Lokere, 25, guilty of stabbing to death the 34-year-old steeplechaser.
In his ruling on Tuesday, Justice Reuben Nyakundi said overwhelming evidence from CCTV cameras showed the two men had “intentionally killed” the athlete, adding that they had shown no remorse for the “premeditated crime.” ” and deserved a severe sentence.
“Your actions were cruel to a defenseless person whose life you cut short contrary to God’s plan, according to which God wanted man to live for at least 70 years,” Nyakundi said, announcing the 35-year sentence prison for each accused.
The judge rejected the plea of Kiplagat’s mother, Elizabeth Chemweno, and his two brothers, who wanted Khalumi and Lokere to be sentenced to life in prison.
The two men were arrested a day after the athlete’s body was found in his car on the outskirts of Eldoret on New Year’s Eve, with a deep wound to his neck.
The killing shocked the country – a powerhouse of long-distance running – and sparked a flood of tributes.
Over a career spanning almost two decades, Kenyan-born Kiplagat represented Uganda internationally in the 3,000m steeplechase, including at several Olympic Games and World Championships.
He won silver in the 3,000m steeplechase at the 2008 World Junior Championships and bronze at the 2012 African Championships.
He reached the semi-finals of the event at the 2012 London Olympics and also competed in Rio in 2016.
In 2007, he shaved more than eight seconds off the Ugandan national record in the 3,000m steeplechase set in 1977.
Kenya has witnessed a number of deaths and killings of prominent athletes in recent years.
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