KAMPALA, Uganda — Vincent Arnold Nsamba was formally charged with the murder of Afrigo Band leader Moses Matovu at Makindye Chief Magistrate’s Court on Monday, September 28, 2026. The court remanded the 47-year-old driver to Luzira Upper Prison until November 3 while prosecutors and police continue investigating the case.
The charge is an accusation, not a finding of guilt. Nsamba did not enter a plea because a magistrate’s court does not have jurisdiction to try a capital offence such as murder.
Has anyone been charged over Moses Matovu’s death?
Yes. Vincent Arnold Nsamba was charged with murder at Makindye Chief Magistrate’s Court on September 28, 2026. He was not permitted to enter a plea because the court cannot try capital offences, and he was remanded to Luzira Upper Prison until November 3.
Nsamba charged and remanded until November 3
The New Vision court report says Nsamba, also known as Sitenda, appeared before Senior Grade One Magistrate Aidah Nanjala. He was charged under Sections 171 and 172 of Uganda’s Penal Code Act.
State Attorney Jemima Achingo told the court that investigations were still continuing. Magistrate Nanjala remanded Nsamba to Luzira Upper Prison until November 3, when the case is scheduled to return to Makindye court for mention.
The Daily Monitor account describes Nsamba as a 47-year-old driver and resident of Agip Zone in Kibuli Parish. That court-based identification replaces the age and occupation details carried in some preliminary arrest reports.
XTRAfrica’s earlier arrest update correctly stated that no charge had been announced at that stage. The formal court appearance is therefore a material change to the same developing story, rather than a separate case.
Why Nsamba did not enter a plea
JUSTICE & CRIME
Moses Matovu Murder Suspect Charged and Remanded to Luzira Prison
Sep 29, 2026
Sep 29, 2026
5 min read
Published
Updated:
KAMPALA, Uganda — Vincent Arnold Nsamba was formally charged with the murder of Afrigo Band leader Moses Matovu at Makindye Chief Magistrate’s Court on Monday, September 28, 2026. The court remanded the 47-year-old driver to Luzira Upper Prison until November 3 while prosecutors and police continue investigating the case.
The charge is an accusation, not a finding of guilt. Nsamba did not enter a plea because a magistrate’s court does not have jurisdiction to try a capital offence such as murder.
Has anyone been charged over Moses Matovu’s death?
Yes. Vincent Arnold Nsamba was charged with murder at Makindye Chief Magistrate’s Court on September 28, 2026. He was not permitted to enter a plea because the court cannot try capital offences, and he was remanded to Luzira Upper Prison until November 3.
Nsamba charged and remanded until November 3
The New Vision court report says Nsamba, also known as Sitenda, appeared before Senior Grade One Magistrate Aidah Nanjala. He was charged under Sections 171 and 172 of Uganda’s Penal Code Act.
State Attorney Jemima Achingo told the court that investigations were still continuing. Magistrate Nanjala remanded Nsamba to Luzira Upper Prison until November 3, when the case is scheduled to return to Makindye court for mention.
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The Daily Monitor account describes Nsamba as a 47-year-old driver and resident of Agip Zone in Kibuli Parish. That court-based identification replaces the age and occupation details carried in some preliminary arrest reports.
XTRAfrica’s earlier arrest update correctly stated that no charge had been announced at that stage. The formal court appearance is therefore a material change to the same developing story, rather than a separate case.
Why Nsamba did not enter a plea
The charge was read to Nsamba, and he told the court that he had heard and understood it. He was not asked to plead guilty or not guilty because the magistrate’s court cannot conduct a murder trial.
According to Nile Post’s report from the proceeding, Magistrate Nanjala cautioned him against making further statements and informed him that any bail application must be made before the High Court. She also said state-provided legal representation would be available if required when the case proceeds.
The absence of a plea does not mean Nsamba admitted the accusation. It reflects the procedural limit of the court that handled his first appearance. Prosecutors must complete their inquiries before the case can move toward committal and trial in a court with the necessary jurisdiction.
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The charge sheet alleges that Nsamba caused Matovu’s death with malice aforethought on September 24 at Market B Zone, Kibuli Parish, in Kampala’s Makindye Division. The case was registered at Kabalagala Police Division under CRB 1072/2026.
The prosecution allegation is not yet proven evidence. No witness testimony was tested and no defence case was heard during Monday’s appearance. The Uganda Radio Network court record describes the proceeding as communication of the charge while investigations continue.
Police previously said Matovu was injured during an early-morning confrontation in Kibuli and later died at Kibuli Hospital. Their inquiry moved from unknown assailants, to an identified suspect, to an arrest in Nansana and now to a formal charge.
XTRAfrica’s initial report on Matovu’s death preserves the information available before investigators identified or arrested anyone. The changing sequence shows why early police accounts should not be treated as a final evidentiary record.
What remains unresolved
Investigators have not completed their work, and the available court reports do not establish a final motive or the complete sequence of the confrontation. Those questions will depend on the prosecution evidence, witness accounts, medical findings and any response presented by the defence.
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Reports say Rose Tumusiime arrived at court in the same police vehicle but was taken away because her file was not ready. The court reports reviewed for this update did not announce a charge against her. Her presence in the investigation does not establish criminal responsibility.
The next confirmed legal milestone is the November 3 court mention. A mention allows the magistrate’s court to check the case’s status; it is not the murder trial itself. Any bail application would have to be considered by the High Court.
Matovu’s public legacy remains separate from the case
Matovu was a singer, saxophonist, composer and co-founder of Afrigo Band. He remained the group’s defining leader for five decades before his death at 77.
XTRAfrica’s Moses Matovu biography records his career and cultural legacy independently from the court case. His artist page and the Afrigo Band catalogue document the music that made him one of Uganda’s most influential bandleaders.
The criminal proceedings should now be reported on their own terms: Nsamba has been charged and remanded, the investigation remains open, and guilt can be determined only through the judicial process.
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