Fresh details have emerged about the events leading to the death of veteran musician and Afrigo Band leader Moses Matovu, 77, who was fatally injured in Kibuli, Makindye Division, on Thursday morning.
Matovu died after a violent confrontation that began at a rented room in Market B Zone before spilling onto the road near Lubowa Mosque.
According to a statement given to detectives and local leaders by the woman at the centre of the incident, identified by police only as Rose, she returned to her room at about 2:00 a.m. with Matovu, and the two remained inside until around 5:00 a.m.
She told investigators that shortly afterwards, a man she identified as her former boyfriend knocked on the door, but she refused to open it.
The man allegedly became violent, attempting to force his way into the room and smashing the window panes. He reportedly saw Matovu inside and was told that he was Rose’s father, but he allegedly rejected the explanation and continued with the confrontation.
Rogers Tukamuhebwa, the Defence Secretary of Market A Zone and one of the first people to respond to the incident, said Rose narrated the events to him while at Kibuli Hospital before she was arrested.
Tukamuhebwa said the landlord came out after hearing the commotion, prompting the man to leave the immediate area. However, he allegedly remained nearby and waited for Rose and Matovu to come out.
According to Tukamuhebwa, Rose said she gave Matovu a cup of water before escorting him to his vehicle on the road.
She alleged that the suspect then confronted and slapped her. Matovu reportedly got out of his vehicle and attempted to intervene, asking the man why he was assaulting her.
Tukamuhebwa said the suspect then confronted Matovu, resulting in a physical fight in which the musician was punched.
He added that although Rose described the man as her former boyfriend, the suspect was reportedly heard shouting that he was the person paying rent for the room and accusing her of bringing other men there.
Asha Naigaga, the Chairperson of Kibuli Two Parish, said she had not spoken directly to Rose but had visited the scene and observed signs of an earlier confrontation.
Naigaga said the windows had been smashed and the door appeared to have been damaged in an attempt to force it open, suggesting that a confrontation had taken place inside the room before the second incident occurred outside.
During the confrontation on the road, Matovu was reportedly punched and fell onto the pavement, sustaining a serious head injury.
Dyogo Paul, a boda boda rider who helped take the musician to Kibuli Hospital, said Matovu was bleeding heavily when he was brought to the facility.
He said medical workers immediately began administering first aid but, about 30 minutes later, informed those who had brought him that he had died.
Residents of Market A and B Zones described Rose as a familiar figure in the area, saying she frequently moved between bars around Kibuli and neighbouring areas.
Matovu’s daughter, Zaam Namatoovu, said the family had just completed prayers when they heard an alarm that her father had been attacked.
“We had finished prayers when someone came making an alarm that my father had been killed,” Zaam said. “When we rushed to the scene, we were informed that he was taken to the hospital. Upon reaching there, we got the shocking news that he had breathed his last.”
Police have since arrested Rose, while detectives searched her room for several hours in her presence as they collected possible evidence.
By about 2:30 p.m., detectives had sealed off the room and taken Rose to Kabalagala Police Division together with items recovered during the search.
Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson Rachael Kawala said Rose had provided detectives with leads that could help them trace the main suspect, who remained at large by press time.
Kawala said preliminary investigations pointed to a confrontation involving the woman as the circumstances surrounding Matovu’s death, although investigators had not yet established all the details.
“So far the preliminary investigations show that the death is around the confrontation that resulted from this woman,” Kawala said. “We can’t right now determine exactly what could have caused this tragedy, but we are almost close to arresting this man, who is a private security guard.”
Matovu’s Land Rover Discovery, registration number UAR 982H, remained at Kabalagala Police Division as investigations continued.
His body was expected to be taken to Kibuli Mosque for prayers at 4:00 p.m., with burial expected on Friday.
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