Lawyers representing Patricia Asiedua, widely known as Nana Agradaa, have announced their intention to file an appeal on Monday, challenging the 15-year prison sentence imposed on the controversial evangelist and founder of the Heaven Way Champion International Ministry. Agradaa was found guilty by the Accra Circuit Court on charges of charlatanic advertisement and defrauding by false pretense. These charges stem from a televised broadcast in 2022 where she falsely claimed to possess the ability to double money for the public, leading many individuals to part with their cash in hopes of financial gain.
Despite the conviction, Agradaa’s legal team has strongly criticized the ruling, denouncing it as “excessive” and suggesting that it was influenced by public opinion due to her notoriety. “The court has spoken, but we disagree with everything. In spite of our disagreement, we will trigger the appeal process on Monday,” her lawyer stated following the sentencing.
The defense argues that not all charges were substantiated by evidence during the trial. “When the prosecution closed its case, we made it very clear that some charges had no supporting evidence. In fact, the court acquitted and discharged her on some counts because no evidence was led during the trial,” the lawyer explained.
Furthermore, Agradaa’s legal team highlighted the trivial amount involved in the case, emphasizing that the sum in question was just GH¢540. They questioned the basis for a 15-year prison sentence with hard labor for allegedly defrauding someone of such a small amount.
The defense also claimed that the court’s decision was more influenced by Agradaa’s public image than by the facts of the case. “I’m very clear in my mind that Agradaa has been jailed because of who she is, not because of what she’s alleged to have done. We believe these sentences are often passed not on merit but to appease the public simply because of her identity and fame,” the lawyer concluded.
Agradaa’s legal team is set to file a formal appeal early next week as she begins serving her 15-year sentence, which includes hard labor. The appeal process will seek to challenge the ruling and potentially overturn the sentence imposed on the controversial evangelist.
