A 35-year-old prophet who had unnatural carnal knowledge of three boys in Elmina in the Central Region was sentenced to 25 years imprisonment in hard labour by a Cape Coast Circuit Court.

The convict, Prophet Benjamin Manso of the Twelve Apostles Church, sodomized the children aged 15, 12 and 10years, under the guise of healing them from a peculiar ailment for which they had been admitted at his house.

He pleaded guilty to three counts of defilement and was sentenced, on his own plea, by the Court presided over by Ms. Audrey Kocuvie-Tay, to 25 years imprisonment on each count; to run concurrently.

Prior to the Judgment, Prophet Manso, who wore a three quarter pair of jeans shorts and a red and white polo shirt, blamed the devil for his actions and remorsefully pleaded with the Court for leniency.

The Facts of the case as presented in camera by Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Sylvanus Dalmeida, are that in December 2014, the complainant and mother of the victims suffered a peculiar ailment.

He said based on a recommendation from someone, she and the victims approached Prophet Manso for spiritual healing and were admitted at his house which he used as a healing camp.

He said in the course of the treatment, the mother of the victims who run out of money, left the children behind and travelled to Kumasi to raise some money for her and the victims’ upkeep.

ASP Dalmeida said, Prophet Manso took advantage of the complainant’s absence and had unnatural carnal knowledge with them under the guise of healing them of the ailment and subsequently warned them to keep the act a secret else they would die.

He said due to the fear of death, the oldest of the victims, escaped from the house to Kumasi and informed their mother who upon her return to Elmina, took the victims from Prophet Manso’s House and lodged a complaint at the police station on Sunday June 7, this year.

ASP Dalmeida stated that the police medical forms were issued to the victims for treatment, while the police tried to locate Prophet Manso, who had gone went into hiding.

He was arrested on Monday September 7, this year from his hideout.