A 25-year-old Muslim cleric was brutally killed in front of his students at a madrasa in Ijara Sub-county, Garissa County, on Tuesday, in what residents believe was a revenge attack linked to an alleged extramarital affair.
The imam, who also served as a sheikh at a mosque in Shabbeley Sub-location, was reportedly attacked and fatally stabbed by a man who suspected him of having a secret relationship with his wife.
The attacker, accompanied by his brother, stormed the Qur’anic class armed with a sword and launched the fatal assault as horrified children watched.
“We were in the middle of our Qur’an lessons when the man suddenly came in shouting and drew a sword,” said one of the older students who witnessed the attack. “Our teacher tried to speak, but before he could react, he was stabbed. There was blood everywhere.”
Witnesses say the attacker did not utter many words but seemed “possessed by rage” as he repeatedly stabbed the cleric.
“The children were crying and pleading with him to stop, but he didn’t listen,” said a madrasa volunteer who arrived moments later. “He finished what he came to do and disappeared with his brother.”
Masalani Police Station OCS Joseph Mulanda confirmed the incident and described it as a targeted killing. “We have launched full investigations into the matter. The motive appears to be personal and connected to alleged infidelity,” he told KNA.
The attacker is believed to have fled into the Boni Forest.
Mulanda added that the body of the deceased was taken to Masalani Hospital for a postmortem before being handed over to the family for burial according to Islamic rites.
Sources close to the attacker’s family revealed that the couple’s relationship had been strained for months.
“The wife had known the imam before her marriage. It was not a new affair. The marriage was not happy, and the husband had threatened to divorce her several times over suspicions of cheating,” said a relative who requested anonymity.
Local elders have since stepped in, calling for calm as the community grapples with the incident. Tension remains high in the manyattas, with some fearing retaliatory action from either side.
“We are appealing to everyone to remain calm,” said Sheikh Abdi Noor, a respected elder in the area. “This was a personal matter that turned tragic. We are now working with the families to pursue a traditional justice process through Maslah.”
Maslah, a customary Somali mediation system, involves negotiation and compensation. According to tradition, the aggressor’s community may offer 100 camels to the victim’s family for the killing of a man, and 50 camels for a woman, in exchange for the withdrawal of legal charges.
“Camels are symbolic in our culture,” explained Elder Noor. “It’s not just about material compensation; it’s a way to restore peace and prevent revenge. Once the settlement is accepted, it becomes binding, and no legal action is pursued further.”
Diplomatic efforts have already begun, with emissaries moving between the two families. However, some villagers voiced skepticism about resolving such a brutal crime through traditional mechanisms alone.
“This was murder,” said a local youth leader, Hassan Omar. “We cannot let someone kill in cold blood and then negotiate their way out. Justice must also be served through the courts.”
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