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Agnes Jebet Tirop (archive picture): Her husband said on the phone that he had "done something wrong"
Photo:
Vince Mignott / imago / Uk Sports Pics Ltd
After the violent death of long-distance runner Agnes Jebet Tirop, the Kenyan police took her husband into custody.
Emmanuel Rotich is suspected of stabbing the Olympic participant and world record holder.
"The suspect was arrested in the coastal city of Mombasa," said the director of the criminal investigation department, George Kinoti, on Thursday of the French news agency AFP: "He is in custody and was arrested on the run." Rotich is expected to appear in court next Friday .
"He will be charged once the investigation is over," added Kinoti.
Tom Makori, police commander of Keiyo North, had previously explained the background to the search for Rotich: “The suspect called Tirop's parents and said that he had done something wrong.
So we think he knows what happened. "
Tirop was found dead on Wednesday with multiple stab wounds in the bedroom of her home in Iten, western Kenya.
Numerous running stars in the country train at the high altitude.
Tirop was 25 years old.
Just a month ago, Tirop, who finished fourth in the Olympic Games over 5000 m in Tokyo in the summer, set a road world record in Herzogenaurach when she improved the previous record by 28 seconds to 30:01 minutes over 10 km.
In addition, Tirop had won bronze medals over 10,000 m in 2017 and 2019.
"Kenya has lost a jewel," the association wrote in a message.
Tirops death aroused great sympathy.
Even Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta spoke up and asked the police to track down those behind the crime.
ime / sid