Senior manager’s rape trial opens

Zvikomborero Parafini

The rape trial of a business development manager Musa Nyasha Dube Manyika opened in the capital yesterday with the complainant narrating her ordeal of the alleged abuse.

Manyika pleaded not guilty to both rape counts when he appeared before Harare regional magistrate Fadzai Mthombeni.

He is accused of raping a learner, who was a beneficiary of a scholarship that is offered to under-privileged students

In his defence, Manyika denied ever raping the complainant but told the court that there was a ‘mutual attraction’ between them and he engaged in consensual sexual activity.

He denied the first count which allegedly occurred in November 2022 stating that he never raped her as that was the very time that their ‘mutual attraction blossomed.’

He told the court that he would meet her on several occasions in and around Mt pleasant area and would visit her on campus at the University of Zimbabwe.

Manyika disputed the State’s claim that he told the complainant that he was in charge of scholarships neither did he threaten to remove her from the scheme after the alleged rape as alleged.

He denied ever misleading the complainant that he would marry her as he is already married and it was just an extra marital affair.

In denying the second count which allegedly occurred last year, Manyika told the court that he had sexual contact with her twice in June at the complainant’s parking lot and once off a road along Belfast Close.

He told the court that he would send her money, they would chat and play games online, which is inconsistent with the actions of a rape victim.

Manyika further claimed that the allegations emanated from the fact that she had committed an offence at his workplace where she was now employed and was due for a disciplinary hearing.

The State represented by Chido Gohori led evidence from the complainant, who told the court that Manyika raped her twice and threatened to remove her from the scholarship.

She told the court that he infected her with a sexually transmitted infection.

Trial resumes on April 23.