Social media has been flooded with reactions following the sentencing of Evangelist Patricia Asiedua, popularly known as Nana Agradaa, to 15 years in prison with hard labour.

Agradaa, founder and leader of the Heaven Way Church, was found guilty by the Accra Circuit Court on charges of charlatanic advertisement and defrauding by false pretences.

This development has since sparked discussions, with scores of Ghanaians expressing relief and frustration over how long it took for justice to be served.

Media personality Godfred Akoto Boafo posted on X, reflecting on the public’s complicity in allowing Agradaa to rise to prominence:

“Agradaa’s game is finally up, and yes, we all knew it was a game. All of us ignored it. We justified her conversion with Bible quotes back then, even when we knew she was scamming. Same with her church, but hey, you can’t criticise religion, so we watched. We turned her into a figure of standing in society. We watched and shared her videos, some in mockery, others in sincere hope.”

Another user questioned the delay in legal action despite widespread awareness of her schemes:

“Agradaa ankasa, what took them so long? She kept defrauding people for years. By the time she comes out, I might have three kids.”

A different user praised the sentence, saying it should serve as a warning:

“Nana Agradaa getting 15 years over the sika gari issue is long overdue. This should be a deterrent to all the fraudsters parading as spiritual leaders on TV.”

Many of the comments show a shared concern about the rise of “fake spiritual leaders” who take advantage of vulnerable people.

Some admitted that Agradaa was initially viewed as a joke, but her influence grew because society failed to act sooner.

Background

The case stems from a 2022 incident in which Agradaa claimed she could double money for church members who attended an all-night service in Weija.

Victims were said to have given her money expecting to receive more in return but got nothing back.

Legal woes and sentencing

Presiding judge, Justice Evelyn Amoah of the Accra Circuit Court, described Agradaa’s actions as calculated and noted her lack of remorse.

Prior to the sentencing, she was required to take a pregnancy test in accordance with Ghanaian judicial procedures for female convicts.

The test confirmed she was not pregnant, allowing the court to proceed with the ruling.