15 YEARS: Old Mutual Senior Manager Jailed For Raping Scholarship Student

Old Mutual Senior Manager Jailed 15 Years For Raping Scholarship Student On Attachment

A high-flying Old Mutual senior manager has been caged for 15 years after a court found him guilty of two counts of rape, targeting a vulnerable university student who was not only on attachment at the company but also a beneficiary of its prestigious scholarship programme.

Musa Nyasha Dube Manyika (41), who served as a business development manager at the financial services giant, was convicted following a full trial and subsequently sentenced to 15 years in prison. The court heard that the convicted executive abused his position of power in a sickening betrayal of trust, assaulting the 24-year-old student on two separate occasions years apart.

The Office Attack And The Branded Hush Money

The court proceedings painted a grim picture of the first incident, which occurred in November 2022. The court heard that Manyika used a simple work request as a trap to isolate his victim.

According to the summary of evidence, the complainant received a WhatsApp message from the senior manager, asking her to come to the Old Mutual Gardens to assist with packing banners.

“Upon her arrival, she went to the basement, where the banners were stored,” the court was told. “After completing the task, Manyika lured the student to his office, locked the door, and sexually assaulted her by pushing her onto a table and raping her.”

In a chilling detail that highlighted the cynicism of the attack, the court heard that after the assault, Manyika attempted to buy the student’s silence with paltry gifts and threats. Prosecutor Chido Gohori outlined the aftermath for the magistrate.

“After the act, he apologised and gave her a branded T-shirt, a juice bottle and a cap,” said the prosecutor. In a calculated move to ensure her silence, the convicted manager allegedly wielded his influence over her future like a weapon. “He threatened the complainant not to disclose the matter to anyone as he would withdraw the scholarship from her.”

The Second Attack In A Car At Ashbrittle

Despite the threats, the trauma did not end for the young student. In a shocking display of audacity, Manyika contacted the complainant again nearly two years later.

The second harrowing incident took place on June 19, 2024. Posing as a mentor interested in her career progress, the 41-year-old manager lured the student to a meeting. They met at Ashbrittle Shops, a local shopping centre, where he invited her into his car under the pretence of discussing her future.

The prosecution detailed how the conversation took a sinister turn. Instead of driving the student home, Manyika allegedly deviated from the route.

“Instead of stopping at the complainant’s gate, he drove into Belfast Road, turned immediately right and stopped,” prosecutor Gohori told the court.

Once the vehicle was stationary in a secluded spot, the executive’s intentions became clear.

“He removed her trousers and raped her once again,” the court heard.

After committing the act, the convicted rapist drove the traumatised student back to her residence. The court noted that he again asked for forgiveness, a pattern of behaviour that did nothing to mitigate the severity of his crimes.

Magistrate Slams Executive: ‘State Proved Case’

Throughout the trial, Manyika, who was represented by lawyer Takudzwa Nyambira, maintained his innocence. However, regional magistrate Mrs Fadzai Matumbu-Mtombeni was unconvinced by his defence.

After hearing all the evidence presented during the full trial, the magistrate delivered a firm ruling. The court found that the testimony and evidence provided by the prosecution, led by Chido Gohori, was compelling and credible.