In South Africa's Eastern Cape, Moegsien Hendricks, the "first openly gay" imam in history, was shot dead. The preacher was seen close to the southern city of Gqeberha, when on Saturday, February 15, 2025, he allegedly traveled to Bethelsdorp to perform a lesbian couple's wedding.Read full article
Rif'at Brower, a Facebook user, claims that the imams and local community forbade the marriage of the lesbian couple (the daughter of Naadira Abader). The daughter of Naadirah Abader was marrying a non-Muslim woman. Sheikh Mukhtar of (Port Elizabeth) PE said that they will not marry the two females and no one in PE will," he wrote. "The females then got the gay so-called imam from Cape Town - Moegsien Hendricks to marry them.
It was at the wedding that Moegsien was shot and killed. He is no longer there, so there is less Fasaad. We cannot tolerate Jahiliah and Fasaad (moral corruption against God) in our society or religion.
According to Captain Sandra Janse van Rensburg, a police spokesman who verified the occurrence, the reason behind the gunshot is unknown.
On Saturday, February 15, 2025, a gunshot incident occurred at Extension 24, Bethelsdorp, and the police are looking for information to solve a murder case that was reported to SAPS Bethelsdorp," Rensburg stated.
The deceased, 58, Imam Moegsien Hendricks, and a driver were allegedly inside a gold-colored VW T-Roc at around 10 a.m. at Haley Place, Extension 24, Bethelsdorp, when a silver-colored Hilux double cab pulled up in front of them and prevented them from leaving.
"Two unidentified suspects with masks got out of the vehicle and started firing multiple shots at the vehicle. After that, they fled the scene, and the driver noticed that Hendricks, who was seated at the back of the vehicle, was shot and killed." The motive for the murder is still under investigation.
In order to track down the murderer, she noted, they need information from the community.