Richard Asare Baffour, legal counsel for former traditional priestess turned evangelist, Patricia Asiedua Asiamah, popularly known as Nana Agradaa, has announced plans to appeal the 15-year jail term handed to his client on Monday, July 7, 2025.
Nana Agradaa was convicted by the Circuit Court in Accra on Thursday, July 3, for offences including charlatanic advertisement and defrauding by false pretence.
She was sentenced to 15 years in prison with hard labour after the court found her guilty on three counts of charlatanic advertisement and two counts of defrauding by false pretence.
But Mr. Baffour has described both the sentencing and the timing of the verdict as problematic.
Speaking on Morning Starr with Naa Dedei Tettey on Friday, July 4, he questioned the motive behind the court’s decision to schedule judgment for a day before a public holiday, leaving no room for immediate legal action.
“We are filing the appeal exactly Monday morning,” he said. “But are you not also concerned that we are called to come for judgment on Thursday and Friday is a public holiday, that nothing can be done? We finished this case as far back as, if my memory serves me right, around May or June and it has been an adjournment of an adjournment. So we received a call just Monday to come to court on Thursday and for her to be handed this judgment on Friday is a holiday.”
READ: Agradaa’s Lawyer: 15yrs jail term excessive for alleged GH¢540 fraud
Mr. Baffour further argued that the GH¢540 reportedly involved in the fraud case does not justify the severity of the sentence, especially considering his client’s role as a mother of five.
The defence is expected to formally file the appeal on Monday, July 7, as efforts continue to challenge both the conviction and sentencing.
The court, presided over by Her Honour Evelyn Asamoah, cited the premeditated nature of the offence, the lack of remorse by the convict, and the need for deterrence as the basis for the custodial sentence.
The prosecution, led by ASP Emmanuel Haligah, argued that Nana Agradaa, founder of Godsway International Church and Heaven Way Champions International Ministry, had used deceptive advertisements promising to share GH¢300,000 at an all-night service, only to dupe participants of their money.
The sentences are to run concurrently, alongside a fine of 25 penalty units, equivalent to GH¢300. In default, she would serve an additional 30 days in prison.
Source: Starrfm.com.gh
