The Criminal Court “A” at the Temple of Justice on Monday sentenced a Nigerian ‘prophet’ Revival Womo Sam to ten years in jail in connection to the crime of human trafficking of a 15 year-old girl.
Defendant Sam was charged with multiple crimes human trafficking, kidnapping and rape.
He was reportedly arrested by the Liberia National Police on January 2019 and forwarded to the Monrovia City Court to answer to the charges levied against him.
Defendant Sam is the founder of the Global Revival Movement located in the Dixville community where both parents and the victim were members.
Handing down the final ruling, Presiding Judge Roosevelt Z. Willie said predicated upon the facts and circumstances and the law citations of both parties, which were explained to the trial jurors, who returned with a unanimous guilty verdict against the ‘prophet’ that the court has confirmed.
“Further this ruling is based upon a careful observation of all evidences and witnesses testimonies during the trial, and based upon defendant’s own confession to the allegation against him, and linking him (defendant) to said crime,” the judge said.
According to Judge Willie, the parents of the victim explained that they had turned over the girl to the defendant in 2016 for spiritual cleansing due to repeated “bad dreams” she was experiencing after her biological mother died.
“While the fifteen year-old victim was staying with the defendant, the parents observed after several months that the prophet had changed the victim’s name, something the parents were not aware of.
“After some time, the parents requested for the victim to return home but the defendant refused and instead prepared a passport for them to leave the country for Nigeria unknown to the parents.
The parents then proceeded to Nigeria with the help of their family member where they were able to locate the victim already pregnant, and after she had given birth the prophet came back with her to Liberia to discuss marrying the victim.
It was then he was arrested by police during the family meeting with the parents.
The judge explained that while the Criminal Court “A” does not have jurisdiction over rape cases, it therefore forwarded the indictment to the Criminal Court “E” for prosecution, while his court only tried the defendant on the charge of human trafficking.
During the reading of the indictment earlier, the defendant pledged not guilty to the charge.
Meanwhile, the defendant will serve eight years behind bars, and two years will be for community service based upon good behavior that will be determined by the correction officers.
LINA
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