HARARE, Zimbabwe – A senior manager at financial services company Old Mutual has been charged with raping a 23-year-old female intern who was on attachment at the company.

Musa Nyasha Dube Manyika, the 41-year-old Business Development Manager who oversees Old Mutual’s Scholarship program, appeared in court on the charges. He was granted free bail by Harare Magistrate Mrs. Marehwanazvo Gofa, and the case has been remanded to January 15, 2025, for the allocation of a potential trial date.

The allegations stem from two incidents reported by the complainant. The first incident allegedly occurred in November 2022, when Manyika reportedly asked the intern for assistance in packing banners at Old Mutual Gardens. He is accused of then locking the door to his office and raping her after she completed the task.

The second incident is said to have taken place on June 19, 2024, when Manyika allegedly contacted the complainant again and invited her into his car at Ashbrittle Shops, where he is accused of becoming intimate with her against her will.

The complainant filed a police report following the June 2024 incident, leading to Manyika’s arrest. Old Mutual has not issued a public statement on the matter, and the case remains under investigation.

The allegations have sparked discussions about workplace safety and the protection of interns and junior employees. Workplace sexual assault is a pervasive issue that companies need to address proactively through clear policies, training, and accountability.

Manyika has not yet entered a plea, and his legal representatives have not commented on the charges.