A former mosque leader in eastern Uganda who converted to Christianity died on Tuesday (Jan. 25), succumbing to injuries sustained when Muslim relatives beat him on Jan. 13, sources said.

Pastor Bashir Sengendo, a father of four, was 35.

He returned home to visit his family in Namaato village, Kigalama Sub-County in Namutimba District this month for the first time since leaving Islam in 2016. Relatives had long sent him messages urging him to return to tend to a portion of land supposedly allocated to him, he previously told Morning Star News.

He decided to return home from his base in Kiboga, western Uganda for a visit on Jan. 12, and the next morning his brother and uncle attacked him with a sharp object that wounded his head, back and hand, he had told Morning Star News.

Pastor Sengendo lost much blood and was not able to obtain adequate medical help, sources said.

His children are ages 10, 8, 5 and 2 years old.

"The family needs a lot of financial, moral and psychological support," a Kiboga area pastor said.

After putting his faith in Christ on May 13, 2016, through the ministry of another former Muslim, a church helped arrange for Pastor Sengendo to attend Bible college for six months, and he became a pastor shortly thereafter.

The assault in eastern Uganda was the latest of many instances of persecution of Christians in the country that Morning Star News has documented.

Uganda's constitution and other laws provide for religious freedom, including the right to propagate one's faith and convert from one faith to another. Muslims make up no more than 12 percent of Uganda's population, with high concentrations in eastern areas of the country.

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