Iten athlete Caren Jepkoech accuses police of manipulating her assault case statement
Caren Jepkoech, 24, has accused the police of altering her statement in a case where she was allegedly assaulted by fellow athletes, leading to the loss of her 12-week pregnancy.
What you need to know:
- Jepkoech, an orphan, has since been rescued by the Tirop Angels Foundation, an organisation that supports women facing abuse.
- She claims her assailants have repeatedly exploited her vulnerability, subjecting her to various forms of mistreatment.
An amateur distance runner has accused the police of altering her statement in a case where she was allegedly assaulted by fellow athletes, leading to the loss of her 12-week pregnancy.
Caren Jepkoech, 24, had filed a case against her colleagues claiming they attacked her at her rental house in Iten Town, Elgeyo Marakwet County. However, she was shocked to learn that the statement presented in court was different from what she originally recorded at the Iten police station.
“I did not read the statement; neither did I sign it as presented in court. I am wondering who did this,” she said.
She alleges that key details, including the names of witnesses she mentioned, were deliberately omitted and that words she never used were inserted. She further claims she was not allowed to read or sign the original statement before it was submitted in court.
Following her protest, the State Counsel at the Iten Law Court referred the statement back to the police station for necessary amendments.
According to the charge sheet, Jepkoech was attacked on February 18, 2025 in her house in Keiyo South by a group of young female athletes under unclear circumstances.
The court heard that Hyleen Jeptoo, the prime suspect, along with others not before the court, assaulted Jepkoech with kicks and blows, causing severe injuries to her lower abdomen, chest ribs, head, and right eye. A medical report in the court file confirmed that the attack resulted in the miscarriage of her 12-week pregnancy.
Jeptoo denied the charges before the Iten Principal Magistrate on February 25, 2025 and was released on a cash bail of Sh10,000. The case is scheduled for mention on March 10 ,2025 with the trial set to begin on March 19 as police continue searching for the other suspects.
Jepkoech says she has been receiving threats from her attackers, which has led a Good Samaritan who had been hosting her to withdraw his support due to alleged incitement from local athletic rivalries in Iten Town.
“This is not the first time these athletes have attacked me. They have interfered with my training on several occasions, forcing me to pull out of both local and international races,” she said.
Jepkoech, an orphan, has since been rescued by the Tirop Angels Foundation, an organisation that supports women facing abuse. She claims her assailants have repeatedly exploited her vulnerability, subjecting her to various forms of mistreatment.