Greedy Freeman fined

Zim dancehall star, Freeman, real name Emegy Chizanga – was on Friday fined US$50 for lying to the Registrar General’s Department that he had lost his passport in a bid to apply for a new one.

Freeman, 29, was convicted on his own plea when he appeared before Harare magistrate Joy Chikodzero charged with deliberately supplying false information to a public authority,

The chanter had sent his passport to the British Embassy where his visa application was being processed.

Freeman told the court during mitigation that greediness led him to apply for a second passport to use while his other one was with the British Embassy.

“Your Worship, I beg the court to forgive me because I did all this out of greediness.

“My first passport was with the British Embassy for visa processing since I was to travel for a show there.

“While the UK visa was being processed I was invited for another show in Cape Town, South Africa and there was no way I could travel without a passport so I had to lie to obtain another one,” he said.

Magistrate Chikodzero ordered him to pay US$50 or 30 days in prison.

She also considered the nature of his job and opted for a fine instead of community service.

Circumstances leading to the conviction are that sometime in 2011, Freeman approached the Registrar General’s Department and applied for a passport which he was then issued in February 2012.

Later in 2015, he wanted to attend a musical show in London leading him to submit his passport at the British Embassy for visa application.

As the visa was being processed, he got an invitation to perform in Cape Town.

Since his passport was with the British Embassy, he then proceeded to the Registrar General’s Department and lied that he lost his passport and applied for another one.

As a result of the false information, he was issued with another one which he used to travel to South Africa for the music gala.

The matter only came to light when the British Visa expired and he resubmitted the passport which he said was lost for another one.

When the British Embassy realised the anomaly, it impounded the passport and lodged a complaint with the police leading to his arrest. Nyikadzino Machingura appeared for the state.