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Latwell Nyangu and Mathew Masinge
MUSIC star Freeman appears to have deliberately LIED to the police to try and cover footprints of his relationship with slain armed robber Godknows Machingura who was gunned down in Harare last year.
The Zimdancehall star has been at pains to explain if he had any relationship with some armed robbers, who have been killed by police, after photos emerged showing him in their company.
When he was summoned by detectives to explain his relationship with Machingura, Freeman said their only connection was through his other role as a music promoter in South Africa.
“I wish to further state that I STARTED INTERACTING WITH MACHINGURA BACK IN 2017 when my management team was contacted by Machingura, inviting me to perform at a show he was organising in Durban,” said Freeman in his warned-and-cautioned statement.
“Machingura presented himself to my management as a music promoter and someone who really liked my music.
“My management entered into an agreement with him and Machingura paid for the whole show, including our air tickets to and from Durban (inclusive of all expenses, food and accommodation).
“Our first show together was a huge success such that he invited me to another show (in Duirban) in 2018.
“Ever since that time we grew to be friends since I was very appreciative of the support he extended to me as a musician and many other musicians at a very difficult time.
“My association with Machingura was purely innocent and founded on music entertainment business/relationship,” he said.
His lawyer, Dumisani Mthombeni, said:
“The musician first knew Machingura in 2017 when he promoted his first show in Durban, South Africa.
“Freeman only posted Machingura on his social media platforms as an appreciation after he sponsored one of his music videos Unobvuma Here which features Nox.”
But H-Metro investigations show that, contrary to what Freeman told the police, he already knew Machingura TWO years before his claims that he first knew the slain armed robber in 2017.
This could potentially pose serious problems for Freeman who, in his interactions with the police, is expected to provide details which are truthful or else he could be deemed to be trying to mask something.
Today, we can reveal that:
l As early as 2015, Freeman had already met Machingura and the two appeared to know each other very well that they even posed for a selfie and seemed happy in each other’s company.
l That meeting was in November 2015, exactly EIGHT years before Machingura was shot dead by police in Arcadia, Harare, after a shootout with detectives.
l This shows that Freeman was LYING when he claimed, in his statement to the police, that his first contact with Machingura was in 2017, two years later, through his management team, for a show in Durban.
l By the time the 2017 Durban show came, Freeman had already dealt with Machingura, who also ran a music promotional company, with the duo holding a show in Durban on November 13, 2015.
l Freeman was the headline act at a Godknows Promotions show that weekend in Durban with the show featuring various Zimbabwean artists whose presence was bankrolled by Machingura.
l The successful partnership then followed up the show in November 2015 with another show in Durban in February the following year, which also featured a number of other Zimbabwean artists.
l Once again, Freeman was the headline act on February 13 in a show which was dubbed “Valentine’s Durban Read And White Tour” at the Bellhaven Memorial Centre in Durban.
l Tickets for the VIP section were selling for R200.
l The other artists at the show were Lady Squanda, TIC Hollun, Paida Dopnes with DJ Vuma (Gagasi FM) also part of the cast while Blackstar International provided the sound.
l Machingura appeared to have been happy with how the show went as, a few days later, he uploaded a picture of himself, in the company of his colleagues, who included TIC Hollum, flashing smiles.
l Frighteningly, many of the people in that picture, including Machingura, appeared to be suggesting they were shooting, or about to shoot, at something.
Online Reporter