Afrigo Band icon Moses Matovu may not have been the intended target in the fatal attack that followed a confrontation involving his alleged girlfriend and her former boyfriend, according to a new account of the incident.
Matovu, 77, was pronounced dead at Kibuli Hospital at about 5:40 am on Thursday after he was rushed there for emergency treatment following a violent confrontation that began at a woman’s rented room in Kibuli before spilling onto the road.
According to a statement attributed to his girlfriend, Rose Tusiime, she and Matovu returned to her room at about 2 am and remained there until around 5 am, when her alleged former boyfriend knocked on the door.
Tusiime said she refused to open the door, prompting the man to become violent. He allegedly attempted to break down the door and smashed the windows.
After breaking the windows, the man reportedly saw Matovu inside the room. Tusiime said she told him that the man was her father, but he rejected the explanation and became more aggressive.
Rogers Tukamuhebwa, defence secretary for Market A Zone and one of the first responders, said the landlord came out after hearing the commotion and asked the man to leave.
The man, however, reportedly remained nearby and waited for Tusiime and Matovu outside, near Matovu’s Land Rover Discovery. Tukamuhebwa said Tusiime told him that she gave Matovu a cup of water before escorting him to his vehicle.
“She told me that she gave the deceased a cup of water and escorted him to his vehicle on the road, but the prime suspect jumped at her and started slapping her,” Tukamuhebwa said.
He said Matovu got out of the vehicle and attempted to intervene, asking why the woman was being beaten, before the suspect allegedly turned on him and punched him.
Tukamuhebwa said that during the earlier confrontation at the house, the suspect had repeatedly shouted that he paid the rent for the room and questioned why Tusiime was bringing other men there.
Asha Naigaga, chairperson of Kibuli Two Parish, said although she had not spoken to Tusiime, she had seen the aftermath of the confrontation at the house.
“I have not spoken to the lady, but I have observed the violent scene with windows smashed everywhere and an attempt to break the door with visible damage, which shows that he found them inside,” Naigaga said.
She said the second confrontation occurred outside as Matovu was leaving.
Fatal blow
During the scuffle on the road, Matovu was allegedly punched, fell onto the pavement and sustained a serious head injury. Dyogo Paul, a boda boda rider who rushed Matovu to Kibuli Hospital, said the musician was bleeding heavily when he was taken there.
He said medical workers immediately began administering first aid but, about 30 minutes later, informed them that Matovu had died. Residents in Market A and Market B zones described Tu
siime as a woman known in the area, although those accounts have not been independently verified.
Zaam Namatovu, Matovu’s daughter, said the family had just finished prayers when they were alerted about the incident.
“We had finished prayers when someone came making an alarm that my father has been killed,” Namatovu said. “When we rushed to the scene, we were informed that he had been taken to the hospital. Upon reaching there, we got the shocking news that he had breathed his last.”
Police hunt suspect
Police have arrested Tusiime, while detectives searched her room for more than three hours in her presence for evidence.
By about 2:30 pm, detectives had sealed off the room and taken Tusiime to Kabalagala Police Division together with items collected during the search.
Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson Rachael Kawala said Tu
siime had provided detectives with leads that could help them locate the main suspect, who remains at large.
“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.”
Police have not yet established the precise circumstances or motive for the killing. Matovu’s vehicle has been towed to Kabalagala Police Division as investigations continue. Burial arrangements are expected to take place on Friday.
No responsible journalist, let alone any serious news outlet should be doing what Observer has done to this young woman . The whole story is not only prejudicial to her but also a violation of the investigation process .
Isn`t not possible anymore for anybody to hang on and wait for the whole story to unfold before publishing photos that may imply that their owners are already guilty of something ?
Photo or no photo, the matter belongs to the public domain. That is what it means to deal with public figures.
Sir , I understand what you are saying .
But I suppose you do not understand that mine is a legal view .The principal of presumption of innocence may be violated when all kinds of speculative stories ( accompanied by photo or video images)-are published by credible media houses , which I think Observer is one .
In other words, was it a scandal that got tragic?
Matovu could have easily book himself to any 4 stars hotels in kampala for a reasonable discounted rate based on personal recognition, but he chose to sleep free below his pay grade, the security guard allowed his anger to get the best of him.
Now he’s going to spend the rest of his life in luzira for killing another man over a woman of low virtue.
If what’s reported is correct that he was 77 years old, then his libido must have gone down, at least not to the extent of having the urge to seek a prostitute. We shouldn’t be quick to judge. In many of these cases, there’s more than meets the eye. Also, after a successful season 1 of life, in season 2, some people tend to gravitate back to the life they had – ordinary. Nothing wrong with that.
In the face of journalism you can’t hide content that captivates online bystanders . The inhouse incident is the actual “meat of the soup” online court of public opinion needed to justify this whole predicament of this all time music icon.
” Hiding content” is not the correct phrase .
It is debatable / subjective whether or not the woman was the deceased`s “girlfriend “, let alone if she said the things URN is saying she said.
What we have in Uganda today is not journalism ; it is sensationalism .
What is “meat of the soup” ?
Your submissions were okay until you confirmed her being his girlfriend. Comparatively, the land Rover parked aside in relation to the slum rental where the alleged incident occurred as per the footage donot conform either. He was simply aiding someone’s “side hustle” then proceed home.
Mukulu , did you say I confirmed her being his girlfriend ?
Please read what I wrote again
As for me , I am going to need somebody to help with your “submissions” .
I must say , though , that I wouldn`t mind the flippancy if this was a shocking incident
Perhaps you needed help with my submissions to bail you out from that traditional sense of justice.
Men fighting over “things” is not a scandal, it is one of the oldest form of wars and in it death is bound to happen.
Thank you.
It could have been any other man. Wine makes us see and do things the wine way. Sometimes you get away with it until when you get caught. RIP legend