The High Court in Eldoret has declined application by a 22-year-old woman named Edna Owuor to stop the burial of World Marathon record holder Kelvin Kiptum.
Edna claimed in her application that Kiptum was the biological father of her son who is one year and seven months old.
Through her lawyer Joseph Oyaro, she asked that the burial is stopped indicating that her rights and the rights of her son would be violated if it continued without their involvement.
At the same time, she asked that the court orders a DNA test to confirm her claims, adding that samples be taken from the body of Kiptum before he is buried.
However, the Eldoret High Court Justice Wananda on Thursday, February 22, declined her request.
Also Read: Detectives Reveal Kiptum’s Last Meal & Moments Before Accident
Kiptum’s Procession Arrangements for Thursday
The news came while the procession for the viewing of the body and the mourning of the late athlete was ongoing in Eldoret.
A family spokesperson revealed that the body of Kelvin Kitum Cheruiyot will be taken to Iten Sports Ground in Elgeyo Marakwet for public viewing and later to Keiyo South for a memorial service.
Afterwords, there will be a procession to Chepkorio ACK church where Kiptum was worshipping. At the church, there will be a one hour to one and a half hours mass.
Later, the procession will head to Kapkenda Girls grounds for tribute and for the viewing of the body.
“I encourage all the leaders to come because on Friday it will be a state funeral and there may be no opportunity for most of the leaders to be there,” the family spokesperson said.
The government is also expected to hand over Kiptum’s house to the family before his state funeral on Friday, February 23.
Also Read: EXPLAINED: Technology Used by Contractor to Finish Kiptum’s House in Five Days
Johansen Oduor Reveals How Kiptum Died
Earlier on Wednesday, February 21, Government Pathologist Dr Johansen Oduor revealed that Kiptum succumbed to severe injuries suffered on the head.
Speaking at the Eldoret Hospital in Uasin Gishu County after leading a postmortem examination on the body of the late marathoner, Oduor added that Kiptum sustained severe injuries in different parts of the body including the lungs.
“I am through with the postmortem of the body of the late Kelvin Kiptum. As I said, there were severe head injuries. There were severe skull fractures at the base of skull. There were also fractures on the ribs,” said Oduor.
However, the pathologist revealed that the team has since taken more samples for analysis to be able to ascertain the circumstances that may have led to Kiptum losing control of the vehicle.
