Woman who was with Matovu before murder was in a previous relationship – Police
Police said the woman identified as Rose Tumusiime, was arrested and is assisting detectives with investigations into the circumstances surrounding Matovu's death.
Veteran musician Moses Matovu. (File)
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The woman who was with veteran musician Moses Matovu at the time he was murdered had been in a previous relationship with another man, Police have revealed.
The 78-year-old Afrigo Band founder died on Thursday morning (September 24) after he was attacked by a yet-to-be-identified man at Kibuli Market Zone B in Makindye Division, Kampala.
According to preliminary police findings, Matovu went to the woman’s residence at about 5:30am. He was reportedly leaving the house with the woman when they were confronted by the male suspect, who police said had previously been in a relationship with her.
Police said the woman identified as Rose Tumusiime, was arrested and is assisting detectives with investigations into the circumstances surrounding Matovu's death.
“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 in a statement.
An eyewitness told police that Matovu and Tumusiime arrived at the woman’s rented home at about 4:00am after an outing. The residence is reportedly a short distance from Matovu’s home in Kibuli.
The suspect is alleged to have followed the two to the house and knocked on the door, but they reportedly did not open. He allegedly waited for them from outside.
When Matovu and Tumusiime later walked towards Matovu’s vehicle, a Land Rover registration number UAR 982H, the suspect allegedly attacked them, first assaulting the woman before turning to Matovu.
The eyewitness said Matovu intervened after seeing the woman being attacked and demanded to know why the man was assaulting her.
A boda boda rider, assisted by local residents, rushed Matovu to Kibuli Hospital with serious injuries. He was later pronounced dead.
Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson Racheal Kawala earlier said police task teams had been deployed to the scene to establish what happened.
Police have since positively identified the male suspect, although his identity has not been publicly disclosed. He is believed to have fled the scene and is being pursued by detectives.
Investigators are also working to reconcile the different accounts of what happened before and during the confrontation.
Police said the woman remains in custody and is assisting with the investigation, and urged members of the public to remain calm and allow detectives to establish the facts.
Matovu is one of the founders of Afrigo Band, Uganda’s longest-running music group. By press time, fellow musicians, friends and fans had taken to the social media to eulogise the band icon.