Convicted Ghanaian preacher Evangelist Patricia Asiedua, popularly known as Nana Agradaa, has dominated headlines after the Amasaman High Court reduced her 15-year jail term to 12 months.
Agradaa, who was sentenced in July 2025 for charlatanic advertising and defrauding by false pretences, reappeared before the court on February 5, 2026, following an appeal filed by her lawyers.
A 45-page ruling document, widely circulated on social media, outlined five grounds on which her legal team based the appeal.
In the document, Agradaa’s lawyers argued that both the conviction and sentence should be set aside, describing the judgment delivered by the Accra High Court as unreasonable and unsupported by the evidence on record.
FULL RULING: Why court reduced Nana Agradaa’s 15-year sentence to 12months
They further contended that their client was denied a fair hearing, alleging that the trial judge improperly called upon Agradaa to prove her innocence despite what they described as the prosecution’s lack of tangible evidence.
“The whole trial is wrongful in law… The trial judge denied the Petitioner a fair trial by calling upon her to prove her innocence when the prosecution failed to establish its case,” the document noted.
“The whole trial is wrongful in law… The trial judge denied the Petitioner a fair trial by calling upon her to prove her innocence when the prosecution failed to establish its case,” the document noted.
FULL RULING: Why court reduced Nana Agradaa’s 15-year sentence to 12months
The lawyers also accused the trial judge of exhibiting bias and attacking their client’s personality rather than focusing on the evidence before the court.
Also, they argued that the 15-year jail term with hard labour was harsh and excessive, given the circumstances of the case.
Read the full grounds of appeal below:
(i) The conviction and sentence should be set aside as the judgment is unreasonable and cannot be supported by the evidence on record.
(ii) The whole trial is wrongful in law;
Particulars of error of law;
(a) The trial judge demonstrated manifest bias and personal animosity towards the Petitioner (sic), by persistently engaging in confrontations, harassment, and intimidation of the accused’s (sic) lawyers in open court, thereby denying her adequate and effective representation.
(iii) The sentence of fifteen (15) years imprisonment is harsh and excessive, taking into consideration the circumstances of the case.
(iv) Additional grounds of appeal to be filed upon the receipt of the judgment.
JHM/EB
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