Police in Uganda have arrested the prime suspect in the killing of veteran musician Moses Matovu. The suspect, identified as 41-year-old Vincent Nsamba, was taken into custody on Thursday evening in Ochange Ward, Yesu Amala, Nansana Division in Wakiso District. Nsamba is believed to have confronted Matovu in a rented room in Kibuli, Kampala, leading to a violent altercation that resulted in the musician's death.
According to preliminary accounts, Nsamba confronted Matovu after finding him with Rose Tumusiime, a woman reportedly linked to him, inside the rented room. Nsamba allegedly told investigators that he had been paying rent for the room and was angered after finding Matovu there with the woman. However, these claims remain part of the investigation and have not been independently established in court.
Eyewitnesses reported that the confrontation may have started at the woman's rented room before moving outside. One local leader told investigators that Nsamba had allegedly complained that he paid rent for the room and questioned why the woman was bringing other men there. Another account reported that Nsamba allegedly attacked the woman before Matovu intervened.
During the ensuing confrontation, Matovu was allegedly punched, fell onto the pavement, and suffered a serious head injury. A boda boda rider who helped transport the musician to hospital reportedly said Matovu was bleeding heavily when he was taken for emergency treatment. Rose was arrested earlier in the investigation and has been assisting detectives as they reconstruct the events leading to the musician's death.
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, was arrested in connection with the murder of musician Moses Matovu.
- Nsamba allegedly confronted Matovu after finding him with a woman reportedly linked to him in a rented room in Kibuli, Kampala.
- Matovu's death has shocked Uganda's music fraternity, with the musician being a founding member and longtime leader of Afrigo Band.
