Father Thomas Dente Kofi Manu is one of the clergy members identified in the Rhode Island Attorney General’s 2026 Report on Child Sexual Abuse in the Diocese of Providence. According to that report, a woman alleged that Father Manu sexually abused her over multiple summers when she was a teenager. What makes his case particularly troubling is not just the alleged abuse itself, but the documented failure of Diocese leadership to act on what they knew. If you were abused by Father Manu, or by any member of the clergy in Rhode Island, you are not alone, and a sexual assault attorney at Sommers Schwartz can help you understand your rights under Rhode Island law.

Table of Contents

• Who Is Father Thomas Dente Kofi Manu and What Did the Attorney General Find?
• How the Diocese of Providence Failed to Protect Survivors in the Manu Case
• Rhode Island’s New Child Sexual Abuse Law (H-7200A/S-2616A) and What It Means for Manu Survivors
• Rhode Island’s Broader Clergy Abuse Investigation and the Context Surrounding Father Manu
• Your Legal Rights as a Survivor of Father Manu’s Alleged Abuse
• FAQs About Father Manu and Rhode Island Clergy Sexual Abuse Claims

Who Is Father Thomas Dente Kofi Manu and What Did the Attorney General Find?

Father Thomas Dente Kofi Manu was ordained on July 15, 1973, and served summer assignments in Rhode Island from 1980 through 2007, primarily on Prudence Island and at St. Mary Church in Bristol. According to the Rhode Island Attorney General’s 2026 Report, he is believed to have died in 2023. He is identified as a credibly accused member of the clergy based on the totality of information gathered during the Attorney General’s multi-year investigation into the Diocese of Providence.

According to the Rhode Island Attorney General’s 2026 Report, a woman alleged that Father Manu sexually abused her over several summers when she was a teenager. The abuse allegedly took place during his recurring summer assignments in Rhode Island, a pattern that spanned decades and gave him repeated access to the same community.

The allegations were reported to the Diocese in 2005. After interviewing the complainant, her family, and other witnesses, the Diocese referred the matter to the Rhode Island State Police. The investigation was later closed after the complainant declined to participate in the criminal investigation and did not respond to subsequent messages from State Police.

What happened next is where the Diocese’s conduct becomes deeply troubling. The report documents that even after receiving a credible complaint, Diocese officials failed to take meaningful action. The OEC Director at the time determined the complainant was credible and recommended that Manu be confronted, interviewed, and that his out-of-state superior be informed. According to the Attorney General’s report, there is no record that Bishop Mulvee acted on either recommendation.

Despite these allegations, it appears that Father Manu continued serving summer assignments in Rhode Island in 2005, 2006, and 2007. Only after the complainant’s father contacted the Diocese directly in 2007 was the Review Board notified. It unanimously agreed that Manu should not be allowed to return. His faculties were restricted on November 7, 2007.

How the Diocese of Providence Failed to Protect Survivors in the Manu Case

The Diocese of Providence’s handling of the allegations against Father Manu is a clear example of the institutional failures documented throughout the Attorney General’s 2026 Report. The report found that the Diocese had a documented pattern of prioritizing its own reputation over the safety of children in its care.

According to the report, “There is no indication in the files provided by the Diocese that any Diocesan official spoke with Manu about the allegations or alerted Manu’s bishop of the allegations at this point, even after the criminal investigation concluded.” That silence lasted for two full years, during which Father Manu continued to have access to Rhode Island communities.

The criminal investigation’s closure did not end the Diocese’s duty to act. A criminal case requires proof beyond a reasonable doubt, the highest legal standard. But the Diocese’s internal review process operates under a different standard, one that requires only credible evidence of risk to children. The Attorney General’s report makes clear that the OEC Director found the complainant credible, and still no action followed.

This pattern of inaction mirrors what the broader investigation found across dozens of cases. A new report from Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha says the Diocese of Providence concealed decades of sexual abuse by Catholic clergy, identifying at least 315 victims and 72 credibly accused clergy. The Manu case is not an outlier. It reflects a systemic failure to protect children, even when warning signs were reported directly to leadership.

Survivors who experienced abuse tied to institutional cover-ups like this one may have claims not only against the individual perpetrator but also against the Diocese itself. Understanding the difference between those two types of claims is an important part of pursuing justice, and it is exactly where experienced legal guidance matters most.

Rhode Island’s New Child Sexual Abuse Law (H-7200A/S-2616A) and What It Means for Manu Survivors

Rhode Island’s new child sexual abuse law directly addresses the kind of institutional failure seen in the Manu case. The law amends the statute of limitations for claims of sexual abuse of a child and creates a two-year window for victims to bring otherwise time-barred claims against institutions and supervisors accused of enabling or covering up sexual abuse. The new law takes effect on July 1, 2026.

The Ocean State’s legislation (2026-H 7200A, 2026-S 2616A) was sponsored by House Judiciary Committee Chairwoman Carol Hagan McEntee (D-Narragansett, South Kingstown) and Sen. Mark McKenney (D-Warwick). Governor Dan McKee signed it into law on June 11, 2026.

The new law establishes a two-year civil “revival window” that opens from July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2028. During this 24-month period, survivors can file civil suits even if the statute of limitations on their claims had previously expired.

This is significant for survivors connected to Father Manu. If you believed your time to file had passed, this law may reopen that door. The revival window applies specifically to claims against institutions and supervisors, meaning the Diocese of Providence itself can be named as a defendant for its role in enabling or concealing the abuse. That is a critical distinction from prior Rhode Island law.

In 2023, the Rhode Island Supreme Court ruled that the 2019 law only applied to suits against individual perpetrators, not the institutions or supervisors who enabled them. The new law directly corrects that gap. If you are a survivor considering a claim related to Father Manu’s conduct and the Diocese’s response, speaking with a sexual abuse lawyer now, before the window closes, is essential.

Rhode Island’s Broader Clergy Abuse Investigation and the Context Surrounding Father Manu

Father Manu’s case does not exist in isolation. It is part of a much larger pattern of abuse and concealment documented by Attorney General Peter Neronha’s office after a nearly seven-year investigation into the Diocese of Providence. The state’s investigation began in July 2019, when then-Bishop Thomas Tobin signed a memorandum of understanding with Neronha to review diocesan records of complaints of child sexual abuse dating back to 1950.

Diocese officials mostly cooperated, providing investigators access to more than 250,000 files including treatment records of the accused priests, financial records from civil settlements in clergy sexual abuse cases, and victims’ records. Even with that level of access, investigators found that there was evidence that the diocese had a practice of destroying confidential files when the priests died.

The report identified 75 clergy members who sexually abused more than 300 children since 1950. Father Manu is among those 75. His inclusion reflects the Attorney General’s determination that the evidence against him meets the threshold of credible accusation. Other credibly accused clergy members with overlapping Rhode Island assignments, including priests who served at parishes like St. Mary Church in Bristol and Prudence Island, further illustrate how abuse was occurring across multiple communities simultaneously.

The push for the 2026 law was closely tied to the report released in March 2026 by Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha. The report documented more than 300 survivors of abuse within the Diocese of Providence and identified 75 clergy members with credible allegations of sexual misconduct dating back to 1950. It also outlined how the Diocese allegedly concealed that abuse for decades.

Rhode Island has the largest per capita Catholic population in the nation. That context matters. Clergy had significant cultural authority in many communities, making it harder for survivors to speak up and easier for institutions to silence concerns. That dynamic shaped what happened to the survivor who came forward about Father Manu, and it shapes the experience of survivors across the state today.

Your Legal Rights as a Survivor of Father Manu’s Alleged Abuse

If Father Manu abused you, what happened was not your fault. The responsibility for that harm lies with him and with the institution that failed to stop him. Rhode Island law now gives you a real opportunity to hold both accountable, and you do not have to face that process alone.

Under Rhode Island’s new law (H-7200A/S-2616A), the two-year revival window runs from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2028. All time-barred claims must be filed by June 30, 2028, or they may be forever barred. That deadline is firm. Waiting is the one thing that can permanently close the door on your right to seek justice.

Future claims must be filed by whichever date is later: either 35 years from the date of the abusive act (or age 53) or seven years from when the survivor first discovers or reasonably connects their adult injuries to the childhood abuse. For survivors whose claims have not yet expired, these forward-looking rules also offer meaningful protection.

Civil claims serve a different purpose than criminal prosecution. A civil lawsuit can result in financial accountability for the harm done to you. It can also force institutions to answer publicly for decisions they made behind closed doors. Many survivors find that the civil process, handled by a compassionate legal team, is an important part of their recovery.

Sommers Schwartz represents survivors of clergy sexual abuse across Rhode Island and beyond. If you are ready to talk, or even just want to understand your options, reaching out to a sexual assault lawyer at our firm is a confidential, no-pressure first step. We listen. We believe you. And we will fight for you.

FAQs About Father Manu and Rhode Island Clergy Sexual Abuse Claims

Was Father Thomas Manu ever criminally charged for sexual abuse in Rhode Island?

No criminal charges were filed against Father Manu. According to the Rhode Island Attorney General’s 2026 Report, the Rhode Island State Police closed their investigation after the complainant did not move forward with the criminal process. However, the absence of criminal charges does not prevent a civil lawsuit. Civil claims operate under a lower burden of proof than criminal cases, and Rhode Island’s new revival window law (H-7200A/S-2616A) now allows survivors to bring civil claims against Father Manu’s estate and against the Diocese of Providence for its role in enabling or covering up the alleged abuse.

Can I still file a lawsuit if the abuse happened decades ago?

Yes. Rhode Island’s new child sexual abuse law, signed by Governor Dan McKee on June 11, 2026, and effective July 1, 2026, creates a two-year revival window for survivors whose claims were previously barred by the statute of limitations. This window runs from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2028. If Father Manu abused you as a child, even if that abuse occurred during his summer assignments spanning 1980 to 2007, you may be able to file a civil claim during this window. Speaking with an attorney now gives you the best chance of meeting that deadline.

Can I sue the Diocese of Providence, not just Father Manu, for what happened?

Yes, and this is one of the most important features of the 2026 law. The law specifically creates a revival window for claims against institutions and supervisors accused of enabling or covering up sexual abuse. The Rhode Island Attorney General’s report documents that Diocese officials were informed of the allegations against Father Manu in 2005, found the complainant credible, and still allowed him to return to Rhode Island for two more years. That institutional failure may form the basis of a separate civil claim against the Diocese itself. An attorney at Sommers Schwartz can evaluate the specific facts of your situation.

What if I am not sure whether what Father Manu did to me qualifies as sexual abuse under Rhode Island law?

You do not need to make that determination on your own. Rhode Island law defines sexual abuse broadly, and what matters most right now is that you share your experience with a legal team that can assess it properly. Sommers Schwartz offers confidential consultations to survivors. There is no obligation, no pressure, and no judgment. Many survivors are uncertain about whether their experience “counts.” If someone in a position of trust, like a priest, engaged in any unwanted sexual contact with you as a child, it is worth having that conversation with an attorney who understands Rhode Island clergy abuse law.

Does it matter that Father Manu is believed to have died in 2023?

His death does not eliminate your legal options. Civil claims can be brought against a deceased person’s estate, and more importantly, Rhode Island’s new law allows survivors to file claims directly against institutions like the Diocese of Providence for their role in enabling or concealing the abuse. The Diocese is a living institution that can be held accountable regardless of whether the individual perpetrator is still alive. If you were abused by Father Manu, the focus of your civil claim may be as much on what the Diocese knew and failed to do as on Manu himself.

More Resources About Clergy Abuse

• Diocese of Providence Clergy Abuse
• Father John Abruzzese
• Father Raymond Allard
• Father Argencourt
• Father Azzarone
• Father Barnes
• Father Battel
• Father Belhumeur
• Father Bordignon
• Father Dennis Brodeur
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• Father Charland
• Father Corbesero
• Father Crafton
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• Father Louis Demers
• Father Albert Desrosiers
• Father Paul Desrosiers
• Father Diogo
• Father Dolan
• Father Doran
• Father Dunn
• Father Dziob
• Father Edes
• Father Feeney
• Father Oscar Ferland
• Father Ferry
• Father Fitzgerald
• Father Flanagan
• Father Gagnon
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• Father Gorton
• Father Guertin
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• Father James Jackson
• Father Edward Kelley
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• Father LaMountain
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• Father Paul Henry Leech
• Father Lepire
• Father Lonardo
• Father Philip Magaldi
• Father Normand Marcantonio
• Father Joseph McCra
• Father McIntyre
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• Father J.F. O’Neil
• Father W. O’Neill
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• Father Ventre