An evangelist in Uganda foiled another attempt to silence him when a judge dropped cases filed against him, which were aimed at defaming him and stoking Muslim anger on him for providing refuge to Christian converts, sources said.
Muwanguzi Hassan, a lay leader with the Church of Uganda, was earlier charged on March 10 with kidnapping and performing "human sacrifice," the Morning Star News reported.
However, three days later, the court dropped the charges after the complainant and his attorney twice failed to appear in court.
Muwanguzi said his attorney asked him to file a defamation case against his accusers, but he told the lawyer that "as a Christian I will forgive them, just as our master Jesus did."
For years now, Muwanguzi has been the target of Muslim extremists who want him dead for having converted a large number of Muslims to Christianity.
The evangelist said he is thankful to the prayers of church members, which he said are encouraging him to go on with his mission despite the mounting dangers he is facing.
He appealed to Christians to continue praying for him. "Though the case has been dropped, I still need prayers because persecution is still going on, and I still have fears since I am taking care of many converts from Islam. I need protection and support for these new converts. I know nothing will separate me from the love of Christ and in serving Him," he said.
Earlier this month, he learned that an Islamist leader had urged Muslim villagers to kill him.
In an effort to defame him, his enemies accused him last month of kidnapping and performing a human sacrifice, which he categorically denied.
Muwanguzi, a married father of six, has escaped death at least twice, according to a previous report. In June 2015, he was nearly ambushed by Muslim extremists who raided his house.
Men armed with knives and clubs broke into his house one night and stole his personal belongings. Fortunately, he and his family were away at that time attending a prayer meeting.
In 2014, Muslim extremists tried to poison him and his 12-year-old daughter, but they survived.
