Controversial Ghanaian evangelist and former fetish priestess Nana Agradaa is back in the news after the Amasaman High Court significantly reduced her initial 15-year prison sentence to just 12 calendar months.
The court upheld her conviction but ruled that the earlier punishment handed down by the trial court was harsh and disproportionate, leading to a major downward review of her sentence.
According to the ruling, the new term takes effect from July 3, 2025, the date she was first convicted which means her time behind bars will be far shorter than initially expected.
Background..
Nana Agradaa, known in private life as Patricia Asiedua Asiamah, was jailed after being found guilty of charlatanic advertisement and defrauding by false pretence following a widely publicised money-doubling scheme that drew massive attention in 2022.
Reports from court proceedings at the time revealed that she used televised broadcasts and online platforms to promote what she described as spiritual powers capable of multiplying money, encouraging followers to attend a special all-night service at her church.
During the event, she allegedly displayed bundles of cash and assured attendees that their financial contributions would miraculously increase — claims that later proved false when victims failed to receive the promised returns.
Prosecutors argued that several individuals travelled from different parts of the country and handed over large sums of money based on her promises, only to leave disappointed.
The trial court initially imposed the heavy 15-year sentence with hard labour, citing the need to deter similar acts and protect vulnerable members of the public from spiritual fraud.
However, in its latest decision, the High Court maintained that although her actions warranted punishment, the severity of the original sentence was excessive under the circumstances.
