Armed Robber Says Freeman Helped Gang To Rob Harare House
“I never met with or spoke to Godfrey Machingura or Paul Ernest Muzenge on 25 November 2023 nor supply them with the residential address of one Paul Chimbodza as alleged or at all. For the record, I do not even know the said Paul Chimbodza, I have never met with him and have never visited his house. I do not even know where he stays and no one gave me his address. I also never met and do not know Paul Ernest Muzenge.”
“In brief, 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 organizing in Durban. 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.
“I had some photos taken with him innocently, the same way he would have pictures taken with many other artists. I never knew or suspected that he could be involved with armed robbery or crime. At least i never saw anything that could have made me suspicious or Suspect that he was involved in crime. Sometimes he would invite me and my band members to stay at his house if we had shows in Joburg, South Africa and he would also tell me whenever he was travelling to Zimbabwe. However, around 2021 he started withdrawing himself from me and would not share much information about his movement and travels to Zimbabwe. Sometimes I would phone him when I got to Joburg asking if he was in town only for him to tell me that he was in Zimbabwe. I also never knew about his alleged associates or association with armed robbery,” Freeman said in the warned and cautioned statement.
