Jailed Evangelist Agradaa Seeks Bail and Appeals 15-Year Sentence for Fraud and Charlatanic Advertisement
Patricia Asiedua, widely known as Nana Agradaa or Evangelist Mama Pat, founder of Heaven Way Champion International Ministry in Weija, Accra, has filed for bail pending an appeal at the Amasaman High Court, challenging her 15-year prison sentence handed down on July 3, 2025, by an Accra Circuit Court.
The conviction, presided over by Judge Evelyn Asamoah, found Agradaa guilty of one count of charlatanic advertisement under Section 137 of Ghana’s Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29), and two counts of defrauding by false pretences under Sections 131 and 132, stemming from a 2022 televised money-doubling scheme.
She was fined GH¢300 (25 penalty units) for the advertisement charge, with a default 30-day imprisonment, and sentenced to 15 years with hard labour for each fraud count, to run concurrently.
Agradaa’s legal team, led by Richard Asare-Baffour, argues that the trial was flawed, alleging judicial bias and a failure to consider mitigating factors, such as her role as a mother of five, including a 24-year-old law student and a three-year-old, despite references to Ghana’s Sentencing Guidelines.
The appeal, filed on July 7, 2025, contends that the conviction lacks evidential support and violates Agradaa’s right to a fair trial under Article 19(2)(c) of the 1992 Constitution, as the prosecution allegedly presented insufficient evidence.
Asare-Baffour described the sentence as “excessive” and influenced by public sentiment rather than facts, claiming, “Agradaa has been jailed not because of what she did, but because of who she is.”
The case originates from an October 5, 2022, advertisement on Agradaa’s Today-TV and social media, promoting an all-night service on October 7 at her church, where she promised to distribute GH¢300,000 and double attendees’ money.
Hundreds attended, paying sums up to GH¢300,000 collectively, but Agradaa failed to deliver, allegedly dismissing congregants after collecting funds.
Six complainants filed police reports, leading to her arrest on October 9, 2022. The prosecution, led by ASP Emmanuel Haligah, presented video evidence and witness statements, highlighting Agradaa’s lack of remorse and a prior 2021 conviction for similar offences (fined GH¢36,000 for charlatanic advertisement and operating an unlicensed TV station).
The court cited deliberate fraud and the need for deterrence, noting the rising prevalence of such scams.
Agradaa, currently held at Nsawam Female Prison, also faces a separate High Court case involving the alleged 2021 broadcast of a private video, with a ruling scheduled for July 30, 2025.
Public reaction is divided, with some hailing the verdict as a stand against religious fraud, while others, including supporters, view it as harsh or an attack on religious freedom. The bail application and appeal await a hearing, with outcomes potentially impacting Ghana’s crackdown on spiritual scams
