Seven family members caught on video beating Muslim girl for attending church prayers arrested

Police in Uganda’s eastern Kikuku district have arrested seven family members who were captured on video flogging a teenage Muslim girl for allegedly attending prayers in church.

In the viral video which has sparked outrage online, the girl is seen pinned to the ground by two men as the others beat her, castigating her for attending the prayer convention.

Ugandan newspaper Daily Monitor on Wednesday quoted the regional police spokesperson Samuel Semewo as saying that the teenage girl identified as Naula was lashed 100 canes by her uncles.

“Naula had allegedly continued going to the nearby church for prayers against her guardians’ wish… She had attended an overnight prayer at the church and when her uncles went to pick her up the following morning, the pastor asked them to leave because she was leading the church choir in praise and worship,” said the spokesperson.

“When she finally went home, she found them waiting. They pounced on her with lashes. Each gave her five to 10 lashes in turn. This is very unfortunate and disturbing.”

Semweo said they arrested seven suspects all aged between 24 and 29, including the custodian of the teenager whose mother travelled to Saudi Arabia for domestic work.

The victim is recovering pending medical examination, he added.