Self-styled evangelist and former fetish priestess Patricia Asiedua, popularly known as Nana Agradaa, has been convicted by the Accra Circuit Court on charges of charlatanic advertisement and defrauding by false pretences.
The conviction stems from her promotion of a so-called “money-doubling” scheme, which she advertised to congregants of the Godsway International Heaven Church in Accra. During a heavily attended all-night service at her Weija-based church, Nana Agradaa allegedly promised miraculous financial returns to followers in exchange for various sums of money — promises that turned out to be fraudulent.
The presiding judge, Her Honour Evelyn Asamoah, delivered the verdict earlier today but delayed sentencing. The court has ordered a mandatory pregnancy test to be conducted on Asiedua before proceeding with the final sentence, following standard procedure in cases involving women of reproductive age.
The case, which has drawn widespread public and media attention, serves as a major legal milestone in Ghana’s efforts to crack down on spiritual and financial fraud masked as religious practice.
Prosecutors argued successfully that Agradaa deliberately deceived worshippers using television and social media to promote the scheme, knowing full well that no “money doubling” would occur.
She was arrested in 2022, and the trial has since seen multiple adjournments and dramatic moments — including her continued insistence on her innocence and claims of spiritual persecution.
The sentencing will be announced after the pregnancy test results are submitted to the court.
