2 rounds of lula lula in office and car end in TEARS: Old Mutual Manager gets 15 years for raping UZ student

HARARE – In the sterile, air-conditioned corridors of Old Mutual Gardens, Musa Nyasha Dube Manyika was once viewed as the embodiment of corporate success. As a Business Development Manager for one of Zimbabwe’s most prestigious financial institutions, the 41-year-old executive held not just a position of authority, but the keys to the future for many aspiring young professionals. However, that veneer of respectability was stripped away this week in a Harare courtroom, where a magistrate laid bare the predatory reality of a man who used his power to violate a student he was supposed to mentor.

“You’re such a disgrace, go and rot in prison,” were the unspoken sentiments echoing through the public gallery as Manyika was led away in irons, with his high-flying career ending in a 15-year jail sentence. The conviction, handed down by Harare Regional Magistrate Estere Chivasa (with proceedings also noted by Magistrate Fadzai Mthombeni), marks a significant moment in Zimbabwe’s ongoing struggle against workplace sexual violence. Manyika was found guilty on two counts of rape involving a University of Zimbabwe (UZ) student who was a beneficiary of an Old Mutual scholarship – a programme designed to empower the youth, but which Manyika transformed into a tool for coercion and terror.

The details of the case, presented by prosecutor Chido Gohori, paint a chilling picture of a calculated predator. The first incident occurred in November 2022. Manyika, leveraging his senior position, sent a WhatsApp message to the complainant, asking her to assist him in packing banners at the Old Mutual Gardens office. Trusting her benefactor and the institution he represented, the student agreed. Manyika picked her up from the UZ campus and drove her to the corporate headquarters.

Once inside the privacy of his office, the atmosphere shifted from professional to predatory. The court heard how Manyika ignored the power imbalance and the student’s lack of consent, raping her within the very walls where financial futures are secured. In a pathetic attempt to mask his crime, Manyika offered the traumatised woman a “peace offering” consisting of a branded T-shirt, a juice bottle, and a cap. But the “gift” came with a dark caveat: he threatened to withdraw her scholarship if she ever spoke of what had happened.

The silence lasted for nearly two years, a testament to the effectiveness of Manyika’s threats and the extreme vulnerability of students who rely on corporate social responsibility programmes for their education. However, the predator was not finished. On June 19, 2024, Manyika contacted the student again, this time under the guise of discussing her career prospects. They met at Ashbrittle Shops after work hours. After the meeting, Manyika offered to drive her home. Instead of stopping at her gate, he diverted the vehicle into Belfast Road, turned a corner, and stopped in a secluded spot.

There, in the cramped confines of the car, Manyika adjusted the passenger seat, removed the student’s trousers, and raped her a second time. Despite his subsequent pleas for forgiveness and further apologies, the victim had reached her breaking point. The cycle of abuse, fuelled by the fear of losing her education, was finally brought to the attention of the authorities.

Magistrate Chivasa, in delivering the verdict, found that the State had proved its case beyond any reasonable doubt. “It’s an old crime, it’s not mutual,” the court proceedings emphasised, rejecting any notion that the encounters were anything other than a gross violation of the law and human dignity. While Manyika was sentenced to 15 years on each count, the magistrate ruled that the sentences would run concurrently, meaning he will serve a total of 15 years behind bars.

This case is not an isolated incident but part of a disturbing trend of workplace sexual exploitation in Zimbabwe. The “sex-for-favours” culture, often referred to locally as “carpet interviews,” has long plagued the professional landscape. Recent reports have highlighted a surge in gender-based violence (GBV) within professional and educational settings. In June 2025, Zimbabwe launched a national Anti-Sexual Harassment Policy specifically targeting higher education institutions, following a UNESCO/MISA report which revealed that 63 per cent of women in certain sectors had experienced some form of harassment.

The exploitation of interns and scholarship recipients remains a “hidden epidemic” in the country’s corporate world. These individuals are often financially vulnerable and dependent on their superiors for career advancement. The legal community has noted that while the 15-year sentence is significant, it falls within the standard range for such offences under the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act. However, activists argue that the power dynamic in this case warrants the most stringent penalties possible to deter other “corporate predators.”

For Old Mutual, the conviction of a senior manager is a reputational blow that raises serious questions about internal safeguarding policies. While the company provides life-changing scholarships to many, the lack of oversight that allowed Manyika to lure a student to his office after hours for “banner packing” suggests a failure in duty of care. The financial giant, which prides itself on ethical conduct, now faces the task of proving to its stakeholders and the public that its offices are safe spaces for women and students.

The University of Zimbabwe, too, finds itself at the centre of a conversation about student safety. As more students seek internships and corporate sponsorships to navigate the country’s challenging economic landscape, the risks of exploitation increase. The UNESCO-supported O3 PLUS programme has been working with Zimbabwean universities to develop robust sexual harassment policies, but as the Manyika case demonstrates, the implementation of these policies in the private sector remains a critical gap.

The broader context of sexual violence in Zimbabwe is equally concerning. The 2025 Trafficking in Persons Report highlighted that women and girls are frequently targeted for sexual exploitation, often under the guise of employment or educational opportunities. In August 2024, a similar case made headlines when a man from Filabusi was sentenced to 20 years for luring a teenager with a false job offer and then raping her. These incidents underscore a systemic issue where the promise of a better future is used as bait for heinous crimes.

Furthermore, the Zimbabwean government has been under pressure to reform its sexual offence laws. While the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act provides for stiff penalties, including life imprisonment, the actual sentences handed down can vary widely. The High Court has, in some instances, quashed sentences deemed too harsh or inconsistent, leading to calls for more uniform sentencing guidelines. In October 2025, the High Court overturned a 20-year sentence for a rape convict, citing procedural errors and calling for a more balanced approach to justice.

Despite these legal complexities, the Manyika case stands as a clear victory for survivors of workplace rape. The courage of the UZ student to come forward, despite the threats to her scholarship, cannot be overstated. Her testimony was central to the prosecution’s case, and her refusal to be silenced by “branded T-shirts and juice bottles” has paved the way for other victims to seek justice.

As Manyika begins his long stint in prison, the survivor of his crimes faces the arduous journey of recovery. The “branded T-shirt and juice bottle” offered in 2022 stand as insulting reminders of a man who believed he could buy a woman’s silence and dignity. The court’s decision to send a high-ranking executive to jail sends a clear message: no amount of corporate influence or professional status provides immunity from the law.

The battle against workplace rape in Zimbabwe continues, but for one UZ student, the nightmare that began in a manager’s office has finally reached a conclusion in the halls of justice. The “disgrace” that Manyika brought upon himself and his institution will serve as a cautionary tale for years to come, reminding every boss that their power ends where another person’s consent begins. The society must move beyond the culture of silence and ensure that the “old crimes” of the past have no place in the corporate future of Zimbabwe.

In the final analysis, the Manyika conviction is more than just a legal outcome; it is a call to action for every Zimbabwean institution to re-evaluate its commitment to the safety and dignity of its members. From the boardrooms of Harare to the lecture halls of the University of Zimbabwe, the message is loud and clear: sexual violence will not be tolerated, and those who abuse their power will face the full weight of the law. The road to a safer workplace is long, but with every conviction like this, the country takes another step toward a future where “mutual” truly means mutual, and “disgrace” is reserved for those who deserve it.

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