By Joyce Danso
Accra, Oct. 11, GNA-Patricia Asiedua, aka Nana Agradaa, a self-acclaimed evangelist, who was accused of defrauding her congregants under the pretext of doubling their monies, has been remanded into Police custody by an Accra Circuit Court.
Nana Agradaa, also known as Evangelist Mama Pat, is facing six counts of defrauding by false pretences and charlatanic advertisements in the media.
She has denied the charges and is expected to reappear on October 13.
The court presided over by Mr Samuel Bright Acquah declined bail saying, the “accused began her activities with ‘Sika Gari’ then followed it up with money doubling, we do not know what she is coming up with the next time around.”
Some pastors of the Heaven way Champions International Ministry, founded by Nana Agradaa, were in court.
Scores of complainants, some, from Takoradi, Walewale, and Kumasi, were also in court, with a few alleging they had paid between GHC200 and GHC1,000 to Nana Agradaa for doubling and had no money left to travel back to their destinations.
The prosecution, led by Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Maxwell Oppong, opposed the grant of bail saying the matter was under investigation and that more people were lodging complaints.
ASP Oppong said some complainants were being housed in a hotel at the expense of the State.
He said the Police would organise an identification parade for the congregants to identify other accused persons.
The prosecution said the accused had no fixed place of abode and that the Police had to track her to find exactly where she was located before her arrest.
It debunked the defence counsel’s assertion that the accused herself drove to the Police station.
The prosecution said the Police had information that the accused person would be travelling outside the country and that it had to contact the Airport Police to block some roads around the Airport to facilitate her arrest.
Mr Reindolph Twumasi Ankrah, one of the defence counsels, told the court that Nana Agradaa was only sharing money with her congregants to mark her birthday celebration.
Mr Twumasi Ankrah said the amount of money the Police claimed to have collected from the six complainants was only GHS 2,680.
“Meanwhile Nana Agradaa had about GHC300,000 that she was going to give to her congregants,” he added.
The defence counsel insisted that Nana Agradaa was not going to run away when granted bail adding, “she personally drove to the Police station when the incident broke.”
He argued that the offence preferred against his client did fall under those offences that bail should be refused.
Mr George Asamaning, another lawyer for Agradaa, also said there was nothing in the laws of Ghana, which said that when investigations were being done, bail should not be granted.
“Allow the lady to go home and let her appear before the court at the next adjourned date,” he said.
The prosecution said the complainants were: Yaa Bremah, a trader from Ahenbubuanu Tafo Kumai, Emmanuel Kumi from Zenu- Ashiaman, George Boateng, from Obuasi, Grace Forson, a hairdresser from Swedru, Mary Arthur, a farmer from Takoradi and Patricia Ankamah, a trader from Sunyani.
It said the accused was the founder of Heaven Way Champion International Ministry at Weija in Accra.
The prosecution said on October 5, this year, the accused had advertised on “Today’s Television” and other social media platforms that she could double the money.
It said the accused person in the said advert invited members of the public to attend an all-night service at her church at Weija for the alleged money doubling.
The prosecution said the complainants and over 1,000 other persons attended the said all night and upon the request of the accused person, handed over huge sums of money to the accused, but she failed to double the money as promised.
It said the Police commenced Investigations into the matter and the accused was arrested on October 9, 2022.
The prosecution said during interrogation, the accused person confirmed the case of the complainants.
GNA