Johannesburg – A nationwide manhunt is underway for Ali Mugoya, a Ugandan national wanted in connection with the brutal murder of Zimbabwean citizen Emmanuel Mahamba in Sandton. The case, which has ignited outrage and accusations of a cover-up, has taken a shocking turn with the revelation that Mugoya is also wanted for three additional murders in his home country, including the high-profile assassination of a former Ugandan police spokesperson.
The incident occurred on April 5, 2025, at approximately 4.30pm at the Mzanzi Building, located on the corner of 12th and Rivonia Road, where Mahamba was repeatedly struck by a Ford Ranger, resulting in fatal injuries. Police reports indicate that the altercation stemmed from a romantic dispute involving Mugoya’s child’s mother, identified as Ntombizodwa.
Police spokesperson, Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi, said police received a complaint regarding the incident and upon arrival, they found a man lying on the side of the road with injuries all over his body.
“The paramedics declared him dead on the scene. According to information at hand, the victim reportedly argued with the shop owner and allegedly hit the shop owner’s vehicle with a brick, breaking the windscreen. The shop owner reportedly came out and drove over his body several times before fleeing the scene,” said Nevhuhulwi.
Love Triangle Turns Deadly
Investigators reveal Mugoya deliberately ran over Mahamba with a Ford Ranger in a parking lot after their physical confrontation. The suspect subsequently abandoned the vehicle and disappeared, prompting police to issue alerts across South Africa.
Watch the unfiltered video here: https://twitter.com/sa_crime/status/1912424056567038001
Mugoya is said to have been involved in a fight with the deceased before running him over. The fight stemmed from information that the deceased was seen holding hands with Mugoya’s baby mama.
Ntombi said on the fateful day, Emmanuel and some Ugandan men who lived at the same house with, came over to her work premises. Ntombi’s baby daddy was already at the business premises, where motorbike parts are sold.
“Later on, I heard some noise, people fighting. When I went outside, I asked Emmanuel what he was doing, but he did not even respond to me; he only looked at me. He was holding a stone, and he threw it away. He picked it again and hit the vehicle’s (wind) screen. That is when my baby daddy got angry, went to Emmanuel and beat him,” she said.
Narrating how she fell in love with the deceased man, Ntombi said she met Emmanuel at Rivonia, Sandton, as he used to come to the shop that she works at, buying motorbike parts.
She said when she met Emmanuel this year, she was still involved with the Ugandan man although the relationship was experiencing some “difficulties”. Ntombi was living with the Ugandan man when she started dating Emmanuel.
“I had to date Emmanuel,” she told Munetsi in the Facebook live session.
Ntombi has two children with the Ugandan man and the two have been in a relationship for around three years.
The Ugandan men who came to the premises with Emmanuel, according to Ntombi, had previously recorded a video of her and Emmanuel and they had also informed Ntombi’s other boyfriend, the Ugandan man who drives a Ford Ranger.
“Emmanuel had not told me that he was staying (at a house) with Ugandans. I was at Emmanuel’s place, and I went out, they recorded the video and sent it to my boyfriend, the baby daddy. In the video, I was walking while holding hands with Emmanuel. I then told Emmanuel that we had to end our relationship,” she said.
Ntombi said she was confronted angrily by her baby daddy over her romantic relationship with Emmanuel. She said the Ugandan man was very angry, and she decided to end things with Emmanuel.
Fugitive Status and Triple Murder Allegations
Further investigations uncovered Mugoya’s alleged involvement in a high-profile triple murder case in Uganda. The fugitive stands accused of participating in the assassination of former Ugandan police spokesperson Andrew Felix Kaweesi along with his driver and bodyguard in 2017.
Court records indicate Mugoya was temporarily released on bail in 2021 alongside co-accused Ahmed Yusufu and Hibwanji Sinani. Rather than facing trial, he allegedly fled Uganda, entering South Africa illegally while evading justice for multiple capital offences.
Family Alleges Cover-Up and Police Inaction
Mahamba's family are deeply concerned about the progress of the investigation, alleging that crucial evidence is being overlooked and that the suspect is not being held accountable. His brother voiced their frustrations, stating that the police seem reluctant to arrest the suspect.
"The police should be answerable," he said. "From what I picked when I talked to them, it seems they don’t want to arrest the suspect. The car which was used to kill him has not been impounded, and the person who was driving it is walking free."
He also raised concerns about missing evidence, stating, "His clothes are missing, and they are acting like they don’t know the accused person. Why are they delaying? His body had no case number."
Adding to the family's distress, the brother claimed that the investigating officer has not arrested the driver of the vehicle and that the woman involved in the love triangle, identified as Ntombizodwa, has not been adequately questioned. "Why is the girlfriend not being arrested?" he questioned.
He further alleged that the police provided incorrect information initially, attempting to conceal the details of the case. "The body was identified, but they were trying to hide the docket. We went to the scene the following day, the police gave us the wrong case number, 130 instead of 138. I then made a follow-up and got the correct docket."
The family are also demanding answers regarding Mahamba's personal belongings, particularly the clothes he was wearing at the time of the incident. "The clothes he was wearing at the time cannot be found, we are demanding answers from there," the brother stated. "On his death certificate, there was no case number of murder, there are many loopholes."
He further claimed that when the family attempted to obtain footage of the incident, they were threatened by a police officer who discouraged them from circulating the details. "We went to look for footage, and the police officer is threatening us not to circulate the details. He didn’t want it to be circulated, and he tells us to keep the issue private."
The brother also expressed concern that the suspect's life is continuing as normal, with his businesses operating as usual, and that Ntombizodwa is still in contact with him. "His businesses are working normal, and the girlfriend is still talking to the suspect. These two guys from Uganda, who were at the scene, are walking free," he added.
Ntombizodwa's Account of the Events
In response to the allegations, Ntombizodwa provided her account of the events, claiming that she attempted to intervene and prevent the altercation between Mahamba and her partner. "On the day, I stood between them to prevent them from fighting," she said. "Emmanuel hit the screen of the vehicle. I found him already on the ground, and I don’t even know how he ended up there. My baby daddy then drove the car and bumped on him."
Ntombizodwa admitted to having a brief relationship with Mahamba earlier in the year, stating, "I agree that I once dated Emmanuel in January and February this year. End of February, we broke up with Emmanuel for my safety and my kids because there are some guys who posted a video, I was with Emmanuel to my baby daddy, who is the suspect. I stopped talking to Emmanuel, and on Saturday, they seemed to be drinking together before he was killed."
She claimed that the incident was triggered when Mahamba arrived at her workplace with a group of men and began throwing stones at her partner's car. "I asked Emmanuel why he was at the same place, and they started fighting but he was throwing stones at the car, that’s when my baby daddy attacked him," she added.
Ntombizodwa explained that she met Mahamba through her work, where he was a customer. "We met at Rivonia, he was my customer buying parts for motor bikes and things were difficult by that time, so I had to date Emmanuel," she said. She also revealed that she has two children with her partner, the Ugandan suspect, and that they have been together for approximately three years.
According to Ntombizodwa, the conflict arose when her partner discovered her relationship with Mahamba. "Those guys who came with Emmanuel took some videos when I was with him, and I didn’t know he was staying with Emmanuel, and they sent the video to my baby dad. That incident created the whole fight, and I then told Emmanuel to stop communicating with me."
She maintained that she was honest with her partner about her relationship with Mahamba. "I didn’t lie to him, and I told my baby daddy about Emmanuel, but he was angry," she said.
Premeditation Suspicions
However, a source close to the situation suggested that the murder was premeditated. "On the day, they diverted the route from where they were supposed to go," the source claimed. "It was a planned thing, they wanted him drunk. These guys were at home drinking beer with other guys from Uganda from the morning and they decided to go to look for meat and passed through the shop of the suspect."
Activist Intervention and Calls for Justice
The incident has also drawn the attention of Joburg-based activist Moreboys Munetsi, who is providing legal support to Mahamba's family. Munetsi, a lawyer by profession, is a prominent figure in the South African and Zimbabwean communities in Gauteng, known for his work in anti-crime initiatives and social cohesion.
Munetsi confirmed that Mahamba's body has been repatriated to Zimbabwe for burial and that he is assisting the family with funeral arrangements.
Activist and businessmen Moreboys Munetsi during the virtual conversation with Ntombi, the woman at the center of the love triangle.
In a Facebook live session, Munetsi interviewed Ntombizodwa, providing her with an opportunity to share her perspective on the events.
