The two were apprehended a day after Kiplagat’s body was discovered in his car on the outskirts of Eldoret on New Year’s Eve, with a deep wound to his neck.
A Kenyan court has sentenced two men to 35 years in prison for the murder of Ugandan Olympic athlete Benjamin Kiplagat, who was killed last year.
Following a nine-month trial on Tuesday, the High Court in Eldoret found Peter Ushuru Khalumi, 30, and David Ekai Lokere, 25, guilty of stabbing the 34-year-old steeplechaser to death, AFP reports.
Judge Reuben Nyakundi stated that overwhelming evidence from CCTV cameras indicated the pair “intentionally killed” the athlete, adding that they had not demonstrated any remorse for the “premeditated crime” and thus warranted a severe punishment.
“Your actions were cruel to a defenceless person whose life you cut short contrary to God’s plan, where God intended man to live for a minimum of 70 years,” Nyakundi said while announcing the 35-year sentence for each defendant.
The judge denied a request from Kiplagat’s mother, Elizabeth Chemweno, and his two brothers, who sought life sentences for Khalumi and Lokere.
The two were apprehended a day after Kiplagat’s body was discovered in his car on the outskirts of Eldoret on New Year’s Eve, with a deep wound to his neck.
The shocking murder reverberated throughout the country, a stronghold of long-distance running, leading to an outpouring of tributes.
Kiplagat had a distinguished career, representing Uganda internationally in the 3,000m steeplechase, including at various Olympic Games and World Championships.
He earned a silver medal in the 3,000m steeplechase at the 2008 World Junior Championships and a bronze at the African Championships in 2012. He also made the semi-finals of the event at the 2012 Olympics in London and competed in Rio in 2016.
In 2007, he set a new standard by shaving more than eight seconds off the Ugandan national 3,000m steeplechase record established in 1977. Tragically, Kenya has experienced a series of deaths involving prominent athletes in recent years.