A so-called “miracle baby” was a victim of child traffickers motivated purely by financial greed, a High Court judge ruled today.
The one-year-old boy is one of many children who a self-styled archbishop claims were born to infertile mothers through the power of prayer.
The baby was taken into care after tests revealed his DNA did not match either of its supposed parents.
The hearing to determine the future of the child, known as C to protect his identity, was held in private by Mr Justice Ryder in the Family Division.
But the judge said he was making his findings public to try to prevent a recurrence of the “cruel deception” and to try to trace C’s birth parents.
The couple who claim to be the parents of the child, who sat at the front of the court today, are members of Britain’s fastest growing religious movement, The Gilbert Deya Ministries.
Gilbert Deya, who gave evidence to the judge claiming he was consecrated as an archbishop in America in 1992, says he helps infertile couples in his congregation – now estimated to be 36,000 strong – have miracle babies.
He is wanted in Kenya over allegations that he trafficks in children from the slums of Nairobi.