Police have arrested the prime suspect in the killing of veteran Afrigo Band musician Moses Matovu, with fresh details emerging about the confrontation that ended with the 77-year-old musician's death in Kibuli, Kampala. The suspect, identified as 41-year-old Vincent Nsamba, was arrested on Thursday evening in Ochange Ward, Yesu Amala, Nansana Division in Wakiso District, following a joint manhunt by police intelligence and task teams.
According to preliminary accounts reported after the arrest, Nsamba is alleged to have confronted Matovu after finding him with Rose Tumusiime, a woman reportedly linked to him, inside a rented room in Kibuli. The suspect is further reported to have told investigators that he had been paying rent for the room and was angered after allegedly finding Matovu there with the woman.
Accounts attributed to the suspect indicate that he has shown no remorse over the confrontation, reportedly maintaining that he reacted after discovering the musician with his girlfriend in a house for which he paid rent. However, these claims remain part of the investigation and have not been independently established in court. Police have not publicly confirmed that the suspect has admitted to killing Matovu or that he has formally stated that he does not regret the death.
Police earlier said Matovu had gone to the residence of a woman identified as Rose at around 5:30 a.m. on September 24. As Matovu and the woman reportedly left the residence, they were confronted by a man believed to have previously been in a relationship with her. A violent confrontation allegedly followed, and Matovu sustained serious injuries.
Matovu was rushed to Kibuli Hospital by a boda boda rider, but he later died while receiving treatment. Earlier accounts from people at the scene indicated that the confrontation may have started at the woman's rented room before moving outside. One local leader told investigators that the suspect had allegedly complained that he paid rent for the room and questioned why the woman was bringing other men there.
The arrest of Nsamba marks a significant development in the case, which initially involved uncertainty over the identity and whereabouts of the man believed to have attacked Matovu. Nsamba is reportedly a private security guard. Police have not yet publicly announced the specific charges he will face or indicated whether investigations have been completed.
Matovu's death has shocked Uganda's music fraternity. He was a founding member and longtime leader of Afrigo Band, which was established in 1975, and spent decades as a saxophonist, vocalist, composer, and bandleader. As detectives continue questioning the suspects and witnesses, police are expected to establish precisely what happened inside and outside the Kibuli residence and determine the circumstances that led to Matovu's fatal injuries.
Key points
- The suspect, Vincent Nsamba, has been arrested in connection with the killing of musician Moses Matovu.
- The confrontation that led to Matovu's death allegedly started over a dispute between Nsamba and Matovu over a woman, Rose Tumusiime.
- The investigation into Matovu's death is ongoing, with police expected to establish the circumstances that led to his fatal injuries.
