The case of the murder of Agnes Tirop, revealed on Wednesday and which moved Kenya and the athletics world, undoubtedly had a decisive turning point on Thursday.
Kenyan police announced that they had arrested the husband of the 25-year-old athlete, two-time world medalist in the 10,000m (in 2017 and 2019) and 4th in the last Tokyo Olympics over 5,000m.
"The suspect was arrested in Mombasa".
"He is in custody and was arrested while on the run," said George Kinoti, director of criminal investigations.
The arrested man, Emmanuel Rotich, is expected to be presented to court on Friday.
He is accused of stabbing his wife at her home in Iten, a high-altitude town in western Kenya where many long-distance and middle-distance runners train.
Husband to slain athlete Agnes Tirop arrested in Mombasa https://t.co/zsfGKXkxPe
- TheStarKenya (@TheStarKenya) October 15, 2021
On Wednesday, Tom Makori, police commander of Keiyo North district, where Iten is located, claimed that Emmanuel Rotich, husband of Agnes Tirop, was the main suspect, "having made a call to Tirop's parents to tell them that he had done something wrong ”.
"The sooner we make him reveal the circumstances which led to the murder of the young girl, the better it will be for all of us," said the police officer on Thursday.
Tirop's brutal death made the headlines of many media on Friday in Kenya, struck by emotion and amazement.
"The murder of a champion" headlined the daily
The Daily Nation
, "the life of an athlete cruelly shattered" affirmed
The Star
.
Suspended competitions
The Kenyan Athletics Federation has announced a two-week suspension of competitions, in honor of Tirop and another long-distance runner, Hosea Mwok Macharinyang, who recently died of what was called suicide.
Its president, Jackson Tuwei, called her death a "real shock" to Kenyan athletics, of which she was one of the "rising stars".
On Thursday, bereaved people, some in tears, gathered at her family's home in the village of Kapnyamisa, about a two-hour drive from Iten.
Her mother, Dinah Tirop, recalled with sadness the memory of her daughter, who provided for the needs of the family, including paying for the children's school fees.
The homage of the President of Kenya
Tirop broke the world record for the 10 km road a month ago in an all-female 30.01 ”race in Herzogenaurach (Germany).
She was revealed in 2015 when she won the title of world cross-country champion at just 19, becoming the youngest athlete to sign such a performance since South African Zola Budd in 1985.
Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta also paid tribute to him.
"It is overwhelming, extremely unhappy and sad to lose such a promising and young athlete who, at 25, had already brought glory to our country by her exploits on the track", declared the Head of State in a communicated.
"Her death is all the more difficult to take since Agnes, the heroine of Kenya, was the victim of a cowardly and selfish criminal act," he lamented.
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Murder
Kenya
Tokyo Olympics 2021
Athletics
Feminicide
Sport