Christian Convert Brutally Killed by Muslim Relatives in Eastern Uganda

Image: Jihad Watch

A tragic incident unfolded in the village of Kaliro, located in Uganda’s Kaliro District, where a 37-year-old Christian convert was brutally murdered by members of his own family on Friday, July 18. The victim, Kasajja Abdul Maliki, had converted from Islam to Christianity in April, a decision that eventually led to his death at the hands of his Muslim relatives.

According to multiple sources, Maliki had developed a new spiritual routine since embracing Christianity: every Friday during the traditional Muslim prayer time at the mosque, he would remain indoors, locking himself inside his home to read the Bible and pray in secret. This practice was part of his quiet devotion, undertaken to avoid confrontation with his predominantly Muslim family and community.

However, his absence from mosque services did not go unnoticed. Earlier in July, some family members began questioning him about why he no longer attended the mosque. Maliki had attempted to deflect suspicion by saying he was undergoing training to become a welder. But suspicions escalated when, just a week before his death, a Muslim neighbor claimed to have seen him exiting a local church.

On the fateful Friday afternoon around 3 p.m., Maliki’s niece, identified only as Shamina, overheard him praying fervently inside his locked home. She told Morning Star News that his prayers were addressed to “Issa” — the Arabic name for Jesus — and that he was loudly petitioning Jesus to save his family. Alarmed by what she considered a “strange way of praying,” Shamina alerted other family members.

Acting swiftly and angrily, a group of relatives rushed to Maliki’s home. Finding the door locked, they forcefully broke it down. Inside, they discovered Maliki deep in prayer with a Bible beside him. Enraged by the sight, the intruders tore the Bible to shreds. As tensions rose, more relatives poured into the small house, shouting Islamic slogans including “Allahu Akbar” (God is greater). The situation quickly turned violent.

According to Shamina, the gathering turned into a mob led by her father, Lubega Kalimu, and another relative, Sempa Arafat. What began as verbal assault soon escalated to physical brutality. Maliki was beaten with kicks, punches, sticks, and knives as he screamed for help. Amidst the chaos, Kalimu reportedly drew a sharp knife and drove it into Maliki’s chest, delivering the fatal blow.

Maliki, who was unmarried and known to be a quiet man, was pronounced dead at the scene.

The harrowing murder highlights the growing tension and danger faced by converts from Islam to Christianity in some parts of Uganda, particularly in regions where Islamic identity is tightly woven into family and cultural life. The brutal killing has left the Christian community in shock and underscores the urgent need for greater protection of religious freedom and individual rights in the region.

(This Article was originally published by Jihad Watch)