Andrew Dinhidza, the Chief Operations Officer (COO) of Lobels Biscuits Company in Bulawayo, has been acquitted of 10 counts of rape and aggravated assault following a trial.
Several women had accused Dinhidza of sexual assault within the confines of his office, his vehicle, and various lodges across Bulawayo. Some of the women were either current or former employees of Lobels, having either resigned or been terminated from their positions. However, after careful examination of the evidence, Magistrate Joseph Mabeza delivered a scathing rebuke to the accusers, stating that their charges were steeped in malice and born out of a sinister conspiracy to bring down the accused. The Magistrate said:
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The accused pleaded not guilty to all charges, maintaining that the allegations against him were false and concocted out of malice, fuelled by personal vendettas following the complainants’ dismissal from the company.
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The court cast doubts on the authenticity of the events at Lobels and declared the accused, Andrew Dinhidza, not guilty of all charges relating to rape and aggravated indecent assault. Dinhidza argued that the timing and manner in which the alleged offences were reported suggested a calculated and fabricated conspiracy. The court’s decision highlights the importance of thoroughly examining evidence in criminal cases and the need for fair trials that uphold the principles of justice and the rule of law.
<h3>Accusations:</h3>
Andrew Dinhidza faced several allegations of sexual misconduct during his trial. One incident occurred in May 2020 when Dinhidza allegedly called a complainant into his office and promised her a permanent contract in exchange for sexual relations. The accused failed to fulfil his promise and left the complainant with a temporary contract.
Another charge involved Dinhidza’s alleged engagement in sexual activity with a female employee at a local lodge, manipulating her into believing that such an encounter would secure her permanent employment.
In a third case, Dinhidza allegedly demanded sexual intercourse from a complainant whose husband was terminated from Lobels under unclear circumstances. The accused promised to reinstate the husband in exchange for sexual relations, which the complainant reluctantly agreed to. These allegations were part of the prosecution’s case against Dinhidza, who was ultimately acquitted of all charges.
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Lobels Biscuits COO Acquitted Of Rape And Assault Charges

Lobels Biscuits’ chief operations officer (COO), Andrew Dinhidza, has been taken to court facing <a href="https://zero.pindula.co.zw/lobels-boss-arrested-over-sexual-harassment/">nine counts of rape and sexually harassing subordinates.</a>
Dinhidza appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Joseph Mabeza yesterday, <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/local-news/article/200008580/lobels-biscuits-chief-in-dock-for-rape-sexual-harassment">NewsDay</a> reported.
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A female employee told the court that in March 2021, she was fired for attending to her sick child.
Dinhidza then demanded sexual favours for her to get her job back
She was allegedly raped by Dinhidza. She underwent a medical evaluation, and a report was created.
In a different instance, which allegedly occurred in 2020, Dinhidza allegedly sought sex in exchange for full-time employment from a contract employee who had been with the business since 2009.
A female employee testified in another count that Dinhidza sexually assaulted her sometime in 2013 after she went to his office to find out why her husband had been fired.
Dinhidza, Lobels Biscuits’ human resources manager at that time, allegedly sexually assaulted her and gave her husband a job back.
Mary Nyika of Macharaga Law Chambers represented the workers.
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Lobels Biscuits' COO Faces 9 Counts Of Rape

Lobels Biscuits Company in Bulawayo’s chief operations officer (COO) Andrew Dinhidza has been arrested for allegedly sexually attacking several female subordinates who feared losing their jobs.
B-Metro reported a source as saying four women had since filed rape charges against Dinhidza.
<h2>Complainant One</h2>
According to the B-Metro source, one of the victims is a 29-year-old woman who is employed as a packer. Said the source:
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Sometime in 2017, the 29-year-old woman went to look for a job at Lobels Biscuits Company at the time Dinhidza was the Human Resources Manager and he recruited her.
After that, he approached her demanding payment for employing her. At first, she turned down his request, but he threatened to expel her, forcing her to give in and slept with him.
Sometime in October this year, the woman said Dinhidza called her to his office and demanded to have sex with her and she did not resist because she was afraid of losing her job.
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The woman then reported the rape incidents at Kumalo Police station after protests were recently staged against Dinhidza over allegations of nepotism and sexual harassment.
<h2>Complainant Two</h2>
The alleged rape victim is a 33-year-old woman who resides in Nkulumane suburb.
Allegations are that the woman failed to report for duty for two consecutive days.
When she eventually reported for duty she informed her immediate supervisor who allegedly turned her away. Said the source:
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Desperate for her job, she approached Dinhidza who told her that if she wanted to save her job she must have sex with him and she agreed before they had sex in his office and her job was saved.
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The victim reported the alleged rape at Donnington Police Station on Tuesday last week.
<h2>Complainant Three</h2>
A 40-year-old woman from Entumbane suburb was allegedly sexually attacked by Dinhidza when he called her to his office and asked her if she wanted to be employed permanently.
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He promised the complainant that if she wants to be employed as a permanent worker she has to sleep with him and she agreed before he drove to a lodge in the city centre and had sex with her.
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It is further alleged that the two had sex on another occasion in Dinhidza car near the company premises.
However, Dinhidza reportedly never fulfilled his promise.
On 7 December the woman joined a protest against all forms of abuse and later filed a rape case against Dinhidza at Bulawayo Central Police Station.
<h2>Complainant Four</h2>
A 37-year-old woman who is employed as a machine operator reportedly fell prey to Dinhidza after she approached him to have her husband who had been fired reinstated. Said the source:
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She approached Dinhidza in his office and pleaded with him to have her husband re-hired but Dinhidza told her that he could only be reinstated on condition that she had sex with him and she bowed down to the demands and had sex with him. After that, the victim’s husband was re-hired.
On another occasion, he picked her up at the company premises and had sex with her at a lodge.
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The woman reported the alleged rape cases at Donnington Police Station on 7 December 2022 leading to Dinhidza’s arrest.
The alleged rape victims and about 496 aggrieved employees are being represented by their lawyers Task Vhiki and Mary Nyika of Macharaga Law Chambers. | <a href="https://www.bmetro.co.zw/lobels-chief-nabbed-over-rape-sexual-harassment/">B-Metro</a>

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