Prime Suspect Charged in Murder of Afrigo Band Legend Moses Matovu

Kampala, Uganda – Vincent Arnold Nsamba, a 47-year-old driver also known as Sitenda, has been formally charged with the murder of iconic Ugandan musician Moses Matovu and remanded to Luzira Upper Prison.

Nsamba appeared before Senior Grade One Magistrate Aidah Nanjala at the Makindye Chief Magistrate’s Court on Monday, September 28, 2026. He was charged with causing the death of the 77-year-old Afrigo Band leader with malice aforethought on September 24, 2026, at Market “B” Zone in Kibuli Parish, Makindye Division.

According to the charge sheet, Nsamba, a resident of Agip Zone in Kibuli, is accused of fatally assaulting Matovu during an early-morning confrontation. Matovu, the long-serving leader and co-founder of the legendary Afrigo Band, succumbed to severe head trauma and blood loss at Kibuli Muslim Hospital after being struck and falling to the pavement.

What Happened

Police accounts indicate that Matovu had performed at a function at Sheraton Gardens the previous evening. In the early hours of September 24, around 5:00–5:30 a.m., he was at the residence of Rose Tumusiime in Kibuli Market Zone B. As Matovu and Tumusiime were leaving, they were confronted by Nsamba, who was reportedly Tumusiime’s boyfriend or former partner.

A physical altercation ensued. Nsamba allegedly assaulted Tumusiime first. When Matovu intervened to protect her, Nsamba punched the musician—reportedly below the chin. The force of the blow caused Matovu to fall backward, striking his head hard on the ground. A local boda boda rider, identified in some reports as Paul Dyogo, rushed the heavily bleeding musician to hospital, where he was pronounced dead around 7:00 a.m.

During a police crime scene reconstruction, Nsamba admitted to punching Matovu but insisted he did not intend to kill him. “I boxed him and he fell down. But I did not intend to kill him,” he reportedly told investigators.

Court Proceedings

Nsamba appeared composed in the dock, wearing a red checkered shirt that partially concealed what appeared to be a fractured right arm. He confirmed he had heard and understood the charge. The magistrate’s court lacks jurisdiction to try capital offences, so the case was remanded pending further investigations.

Tumusiime was also brought to court but was not charged, as her file remains incomplete. The matter is scheduled to return to court on November 3, 2026, for an update on the progress of the investigation.

Nsamba was arrested hours after the incident in Ochange Ward, Yesu Amala, Nansana Division, Wakiso District, following a joint security operation. Police recovered clothing he allegedly wore during the assault.

A Nation in Mourning

Matovu’s death has sent shockwaves through Uganda’s music community. As the face of Afrigo Band for nearly five decades since its formation in the mid-1970s, he was celebrated as a vocalist, saxophonist, composer, arranger, and bandleader who helped define Uganda’s live music tradition. Thousands attended his burial in Kyanja, Kampala.

The case continues under investigation by Kampala Metropolitan Police, with detectives working to establish the full sequence of events and any additional evidence.