Father Thomas Dente Kofi Manu
Ordained: 1973
Status: Accused
Deceased: 2023
Assignment History
- 1980-2007: Summer assignments, Prudence Island and St. Mary Church (Bristol, RI)
- 2007: Restricted from returning to ministry in the Diocese of Providence
Summary of Sexual Abuse Allegations Against Father Thomas Dente Kofi Manu
Father Thomas Dente Kofi Manu was ordained a priest in 1973 and served as an extern priest from Ghana. He worked summer assignments in the Diocese of Providence in Rhode Island, including at St. Mary Church in Bristol and on Prudence Island, from approximately 1980 to 2007. He is one of several Catholic clergy members connected to Rhode Island clergy sexual abuse lawsuits involving the Diocese of Providence.
According to BishopAccountability.org, Manu was publicly named as accused in the Rhode Island Attorney General’s 2026 report on child sexual abuse in the Diocese of Providence. He does not appear to be included on the Diocese of Providence list of clergy who have been credibly accused of sexual abuse of a minor.
According to the Rhode Island Attorney General’s 2026 report, Manu was accused of sexually abusing a teenage girl over multiple summers beginning in 1980. The report states that Manu is believed to have died in 2023.
Allegations Against Father Thomas Dente Kofi Manu
According to the Rhode Island Attorney General’s 2026 report, a woman alleged that Manu first groped and kissed her in 1980, when she was 13 years old, after a tennis lesson in a parish rectory. She further alleged that Manu sexually abused her several times in 1982 and raped her in 1984.
The complainant reportedly told her parents about the abuse in 2004, and her parents reported the allegations to the Diocese in 2005. According to the Rhode Island Attorney General’s 2026 report, the Diocese found the allegations credible and referred the matter to law enforcement, but the complainant did not want to continue with a criminal investigation.
Diocese of Providence Response to Father Thomas Dente Kofi Manu Allegations
According to the Rhode Island Attorney General’s 2026 report, despite the allegations, Manu was allowed to continue serving summer assignments in Rhode Island in 2005, 2006, and 2007.
The report states that there is no indication in the Diocese’s files that diocesan officials spoke with Manu about the allegations, suspended him after receiving the report, or notified his home diocese in Ghana at that time.
In November 2007, after the complainant’s father expressed concern about Manu’s continued assignment at St. Mary Church, the Diocesan Review Board unanimously agreed that Manu should not return to the United States for ministry.
Manu was included on the Rhode Island Attorney General’s list of credibly accused clergy in Appendix A of the Attorney General’s 2026 report on child sexual abuse in the Diocese of Providence. Based on the available source information, he does not appear to be included on the Diocese of Providence list of clergy who have been credibly accused of sexual abuse of a minor.
Frequently Asked Questions About Father Thomas Dente Kofi Manu
Can I sue for sexual abuse by a priest in Rhode Island?
Rhode Island’s new two-year revival window, beginning July 1, 2026, allows survivors of child sexual abuse to file claims that were previously blocked by the statute of limitations. You can bring a claim during this two-year window regardless of how long ago the abuse occurred. Because there is a deadline to file your claim, survivors should speak with an attorney as soon as possible.
How long do I have to sue for sexual abuse in Rhode Island?
Rhode Island’s new law creates a two-year window for certain older child sexual abuse claims beginning July 1, 2026. Claims must be filed by June 30, 2028. Survivors should not wait, because it may be necessary to gather relevant documents, investigate the claim, and determine the appropriate parties to sue.
Can the Diocese of Providence be sued for my sexual abuse by a priest?
Possibly. Survivors may have claims against the Diocese of Providence or another Catholic institution, including parishes and schools, if there is evidence that the institution knew or should have known about the risk of abuse and failed to protect children. Horowitz Law attorneys can review the facts of your case and explain your legal options.
Was Father Thomas Dente Kofi Manu listed as credibly accused by the Diocese of Providence?
Based on the available source information, no. Father Thomas Dente Kofi Manu does not appear to be included on the Diocese of Providence list of clergy who have been credibly accused of sexual abuse of a minor. However, he was included in Appendix A of the Rhode Island Attorney General’s 2026 report on child sexual abuse in the Diocese of Providence.
Rhode Island Clergy Sexual Abuse Lawsuits
Rhode Island’s new law creates a two-year revival window, beginning July 1, 2026, for certain older child sexual abuse claims. Horowitz Law is bringing these lawsuits in Rhode Island and has collected evidence of the Diocese of Providence’s negligence. The revival window allows survivors of clergy sexual abuse to pursue claims that were previously blocked by the statute of limitations. Filing deadlines will apply, so survivors should speak with an attorney as soon as possible.
Horowitz Law Is Here to Help
Horowitz Law is a law firm representing victims and survivors of sexual abuse by Catholic priests and other clergy connected to the Diocese of Providence in Rhode Island. If you need a lawyer because you were sexually abused by a priest or clergy member in Rhode Island, contact our office today. Although many years have passed, those abused by a priest or clergy member in Rhode Island may have legal options due to Rhode Island’s new two-year revival window for certain child sexual abuse claims, but filing deadlines will apply, so do not delay in reaching out to us.
Contact us at 888-283-9922 or email sexual abuse lawyer Adam Horowitz for a free consultation.