Moïse Mugenyi Kabagambe was born in Bunia, in Ituri Province, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Moïse immigrated to Brazil with his family in 2011 due to the conflict in Ituri.
Moïse was an architecture student and worked as a clerk at the Tropicália kiosk in Barra da Tijuca, Rio de Janeiro, where he was paid daily for his work. On January 24, 2022, when he went to collect approximately R$ 200 for two days of work he was owed, he was threatened by the store manager and beaten to death.

The case gained national media attention, sparking outrage among the public. Through the Black movement, human rights organizations, politicians, and celebrities, protests were organized in various cities across Brazil and at Brazilian embassies in Berlin and London.