Police have revealed a dramatic new twist in the killing of Afrigo Band legend Moses Matovu, saying preliminary investigations point to a confrontation involving his girlfriend and another man who allegedly had a previous relationship with the same woman.
According to the latest statement from the Uganda Police Force, Matovu went to his girlfriend’s residence at Kibuli Depot in Makindye Division, Kampala, at about 5:30am on Thursday, September 24, 2026.
Police said Matovu and the woman were allegedly confronted by a male suspect as they were leaving the residence.
The man is reportedly someone who had previously been in a relationship with the same woman.
The confrontation allegedly escalated into a physical altercation, leaving the 77-year-old musician with serious injuries.
Matovu was rushed to Kibuli Hospital by a boda boda rider, but later succumbed to his injuries.
GIRLFRIEND IN POLICE CUSTODY
Police said the woman who was with Matovu was arrested and remains in custody as detectives attempt to establish exactly what happened.
“Following the arrest of the female who was in the company of the deceased, preliminary information indicates that the incident may have arisen from a physical altercation,” Police said.
However, investigators have cautioned that the circumstances surrounding the confrontation and Matovu’s subsequent death have not yet been fully established.
Police are therefore continuing to verify the different accounts surrounding the incident.
MALE SUSPECT FLEES
The alleged male assailant has reportedly been positively identified, but Police say he fled the scene after the confrontation.
Detectives are now pursuing him with the aim of arresting him and obtaining his account of what transpired.
Police have not released the suspect’s identity or established whether he was directly responsible for the injuries that ultimately killed Matovu.
The latest account nevertheless provides the first official indication of a possible relationship-related motive behind the fatal confrontation.
FROM MUSIC LEGEND TO MURDER VICTIM
Matovu’s death has sent shockwaves through Uganda’s entertainment industry.
The veteran musician was one of the defining figures of Afrigo Band, one of Uganda’s longest-running musical groups, and had remained active in the industry for decades.
Known affectionately as “Papa Moi,” Matovu was a singer, saxophonist and longtime leader of Afrigo Band. His career stretched back to the 1960s, and he became synonymous with Uganda’s live-band music tradition.
His death came just months after Afrigo celebrated 50 years of existence, marking five decades of performances and cultural influence.
But investigators are now focused on reconstructing the final moments of the musician’s life.
Police say the crucial questions remain what happened when Matovu and the woman left the residence, how the confrontation unfolded, and who inflicted the injuries that proved fatal.
The woman remains in custody and is assisting detectives, while the male suspect is being hunted.
Police have urged the public to remain calm and allow investigators to establish the facts without interference.
“We assure the public that all necessary steps are being taken to apprehend the suspect and establish the facts of the matter,” the Police statement said.
For now, the exact circumstances surrounding Moses Matovu’s death remain under investigation.
