Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) in Iten, Elgeyo Marakwet County, investigating the death of marathon world record holder Kelvin Kiptum have revealed that the strangers who visited him four days before his demise had been sent to negotiate a sponsorship deal.
Elgeyo Marakwet CCIO Joshua Chelal explained that based on the accounts the suspects had given during their interrogation, the men were emissaries of a Chinese company which was planning to supply Kiptum with sporting attire to be used in the Chicago Marathon scheduled for April 2024.
"It is alleged that the athlete had opted to use a different brand in the upcoming marathon," Chelal stated.
According to Chelal, the men revealed that Kiptum had earlier declined the offer prompting them to employ a more assertive approach by visiting him at home in an attempt to convince him.
They remarked that the meeting was successful and were shocked that they were being linked to the athlete's death.
"Our conscience is clear we know that whatever that we were dealing with was something that was good and would have helped this family," one of the men stated.
Additionally, the men denied claims that they introduced themselves as representatives from the State House. One of them completely refused to respond to questions relating to Kiptum's accident.
Three of the men surrendered themselves while one was arrested on Wednesday. Police grilled them for hours as investigations into the marathoner's untimely death continued.
Abdullahi Dahir, the Sub-county Police Commander in Keiyo South explained that the police decided to pursue the 4 men following comments made by Kiptum's father.
"We went for them after the allegations of the deceased's father. We never had prior information or report of the four," Dahir remarked.
Following the investigations, the men were released on bond. It is reported that two of them were former members of the Uasin Gishu County Assembly.
Kiptum's father Samon Cheruiyot while speaking to the media on Monday revealed that the men told him they came from State House. Cheruiyot noted that he took photos of the men and could positively identify them.
The heartbroken father called for prompt investigations into the death of his only son and his Rwandese coach.
Kiptum and his coach lost their lives in a grisly road accident on Sunday night.
