NAIROBI, Kenya — Islamist villagers in eastern Uganda burned a pastor and his family to death after he led three Muslims to faith in Christ, the pastor’s brother said.

Pastor Weere Mukisa, his 25-year-old wife, Annet Namugaya, and their two daughters, Judith Banirye, 7, and Sylvia Bamukisa, 4, died when attackers set fire to their house shortly before 3 a.m. . Oct. 13, said the brother of church leader James Tusubira. Pastor Mukisa was 30 years old.

The tragic attack took place in Kibale village, Mpumiro parish, Bulange sub-county, Namutumba district. Pastor Mukisa had led Muslims to Christ in September.

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“When the three young Muslims converted to Christ, my brother began to receive threatening messages that he should stop any contact with the three young converts and that the act committed goes against the teaching of Islam not to join the religion of the infidels,” said Tusubira. Morning Star News.

Tusubira said he saw flames and smoke coming from the family’s home at 2:48 a.m.

“We rushed to the scene of the incident and found the house burned down and the five bodies burned beyond recognition,” he said. “Many people began to arrive until dawn. “Plastic bottles with gasoline were found outside the house.”

The attackers were from a neighboring town and were acquaintances of the pastor, Tusubira said.

The murders have been reported to the Kibale police. Officers were searching for the suspects, who fled, Tusubira said.

The villagers were very shocked and fearful by the gruesome attack, he said.

“Please pray for us so that these radical Muslims who destroyed my brother and the entire family can be brought to justice,” Tusubira said.

Mother burned with acid

In Nankoma, Bugiri district, a mother of three was beaten and burned with acid by her Muslim husband after learning that she had put her faith in Christ.

Hidaaya Nabafa, 27, was receiving hospital treatment for severe burns following the attack by Juma Nsibambi, 42, he said.

Nabafa had received Christ in August at a church in the village of Nankoma, not disclosed for security reasons. Keeping her faith a secret, she had attended a worship service on October 9 while her husband was in Kampala.

“When I returned at 4 in the afternoon I found my husband at home and he asked me where I had been; I was quiet for a while,” Nabafa told Morning Star News from her hospital bed. “I finally decided to tell him the truth that I gave my life to Jesus.”

He had Christian tracts on the life of Christ, he said.

“Upon hearing my confession, he got angry, hit me and started beating me,” Nabafa said. “I tried to raise the alarm for rescue, but all in vain.”

Nsibambi left momentarily, leaving her on the ground, and when he returned he threw battery acid at her, she said.

“I lost consciousness and found myself in the hospital bed,” said the mother of three children, ages 7, 5 and 2.

Neighbors arrived and took her to a hospital in Bugiri, where she was expected to continue treatment for a few more weeks due to the severity of the burns. He is expected to need reconstructive surgery on some parts of his body severely damaged by the acid.

These attacks were the last of many Cases of persecution of Christians in Uganda that Morning Star News has documented.

Uganda’s constitution and other laws guarantee religious freedom, including the right to propagate one’s faith and convert from one faith to another. Muslims make up no more than 12% of Uganda’s population, with high concentrations in the eastern parts of the country.

Originally published in Morning Star News