Ethiopian athlete linked to murder of Kenyan female runner

Athletic Kenya is in mourning yet again after Damaris Muthee Mutua, a Kenyan-born distance runner who competed for Bahrain, was found dead at the home of her boyfriend, who police identified as Ethiopian runner Koki Fai.

Keiyo County police chief Tom Maruko said the boyfriend was suspected of murder in the killing and was believed to have fled the country.

Mutua’s death echoes the killing of Olympic runner and two-time world championship bronze medallist Agnes Tirop, who was stabbed to death at her home in Iten in October.

Tirop’s partner was arrested and has been charged with murder, while her death prompted many in Kenya’s running community to speak out and hold protests against what they say is a deep-rooted problem of domestic violence against female athletes in Kenya.

Iten, where both murders occurred, has a popular training base for long-distance runners.

The two murders have shone a spotlight on violence against women in the East African country.

“The body has been taken to a nearby hospital mortuary,” Makori said.
Police were looking for Mutua’s boyfriend, Eskinder Hailemaryam Folie, who had allegedly confessed to the killing, he said.

He had been training at the same facility and has since fled Kenya, according to police.

It has been established that the deceased was last seen in the company of the suspect within Iten township.

Maiyo said preliminary investigations indicate the victim visited the Ethiopian athlete at his rented house, almost a kilometer from Iten Police Station.

“Detectives have commenced investigations into the incident. We have established that neighbours were not even aware of the incident,” Maiyo said.

“The suspect called one of his friends in Iten to inform him about the incident, who in turn alerted us. This makes us believe he was the one who committed the crime, “said Maiyo.

Cases of homicide targeting athletes have been on the rise in the recent past in Iten town. In October, last year, star athlete Agnes Tirop was found murdered in her bedroom with stab wounds.