Evangelist Patricia Asiedua, widely known as Nana Agradaa, has been sentenced to 15 years in prison by Her Honour Evelyn Asamoah of Circuit Court 10 after being found guilty on two counts of defrauding by false pretenses.
The court also fined her 25 penalty units—equivalent to GH¢300—for engaging in charlatanic advertisement. Failure to pay the fine would result in an additional 30-day custodial sentence.
The ruling brings to a close nearly three years of legal proceedings that began after Agradaa was arrested in 2022 for promoting a fraudulent money-doubling scheme. The case stems from a televised advert in which the self-styled evangelist claimed to possess supernatural powers to multiply money, luring desperate individuals to her all-night church service. Many victims lost significant sums after falling for the scam.
Agradaa’s lawyer, Richard Asare Baffour, made a last-ditch appeal for leniency, pleading with the court to consider her role as a mother of five children, including a 24-year-old law student and a three-year-old toddler. “We humbly approach your mercy seat and, on bended knees, pray that you temper justice with mercy,” Baffour pleaded. “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.”
Baffour further argued that his client had shown remorse and cooperated with the court throughout the trial, noting that she had distanced herself from her past life as a spiritualist and had transitioned into Christian evangelism. He also pointed out that one of the charges—charlatanic advertisement—was a misdemeanor, and suggested that a non-custodial sentence would suffice. “She is a first-time offender,” he insisted, adding that “participating in this trial for the past three years is punishment enough.”
But lead prosecutor, ASP Emmanuel Haligah, quickly dismantled that narrative. He reminded the court that Agradaa was not a first-time offender, citing her 2021 conviction for operating an unlicensed television station and airing deceptive religious content. “This is not a first-time offence,” Haligah argued. “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 also pointed out that Agradaa had not demonstrated true remorse, and that her actions were part of a calculated pattern to defraud vulnerable people. “This is not about religion,” Haligah stressed. “It’s about deliberate deception for personal gain.”
Before sentencing, the court ordered a pregnancy test in line with the Criminal Offences Procedure Act (Act 30). Once cleared, the court proceeded with final judgment.
In delivering her ruling, Her Honour Evelyn Asamoah acknowledged the emotional appeals from the defense but ultimately agreed with the prosecution that the offences were deliberate, premeditated, and showed no genuine remorse. She stated that the sentence must reflect the seriousness of the crimes and serve as a deterrent.
For the charlatanic advertisement charge, Agradaa was fined GH¢300. For the two counts of defrauding by false pretenses, she was sentenced to 15 years in prison, with the sentences to run concurrently.
