Evangelist Patricia Asiedua Asiamah, popularly known as Nana Agradaa, has been sentenced to 15 years in prison by Her Honour Evelyn Asamoah of Circuit Court 10 in Accra.
She was convicted on two counts of defrauding by false pretences and fined GH¢300 (25 penalty units) for charlatanic advertisement.
If she fails to pay the fine, she will spend an extra 30 days in prison.
Agradaa’s sentencing followed a 2022 incident in which she claimed on television that she could double people’s money.
Many people gave her large sums but never got their money back.
Before the sentencing, her lawyer, Richard Asare Baffour, pleaded for mercy, noting that she is a mother of five children.
He mentioned that her eldest is a 24-year-old law student, while the youngest is only three years old.
“We humbly approach your mercy seat and, on bended knees, pray that you temper justice with mercy,” Baffour appealed.
“A custodial sentence may shatter the dream of this young lady who wants to be a lawyer… The last born is just three years old and will need the care and attention of her mother.”
He argued that Agradaa had respected the court, shown remorse, and moved away from her controversial past.
“She is a first-time offender,” he claimed. “We honestly believe that participating in this trial for the past three years is punishment enough.”
However, the lead prosecutor, ASP Emmanuel Haligah, disagreed, pointing out that Agradaa had previously been convicted in 2021 for similar offences and fined GH¢10,000.
“This is not a first-time offence,” Haligah asserted. “There was clear premeditation. We’re seeing a rise in these fraudulent advertisements on our airwaves, and a strong sentence is necessary to deter others.”
He added that Asiedua’s repeated offences showed a lack of remorse and a stiff punishment was necessary to send a clear message to others considering similar acts.
The judge agreed with the prosecution, describing Agradaa’s actions as deliberate and lacking genuine regret.
She sentenced her to 15 years in prison on each fraud charge, but the sentences will run concurrently — meaning she will serve 15 years in total.
Before sentencing, the court also ordered a mandatory pregnancy test under the law, which confirmed she was not pregnant.
Agradaa, who previously promoted the controversial “Sika Gari” money-doubling ritual as a traditional priestess, had already faced legal action in 2021 for operating a TV station without a licence and broadcasting misleading content. After that case, she became a Christian evangelist and founded the Heaven Way Champion International Ministry.
Despite her switch to evangelism, she was arrested again in October 2022 after promoting her money-doubling claims at a church event, leading to the fraud charges that resulted in her 2025 conviction.
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