Nana Agradaa, a self-proclaimed evangelist and founder of Heaven Way Church, has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for charlatanic advertisement and defrauding by false pretenses. This latest conviction marks a significant milestone in the fight against fraudulent spiritual schemes and deceptive religious practices in Ghana.
The Accra Circuit Court found Agradaa guilty of running a money-doubling scam during an all-night service at her church, Heaven Way Champion International Ministry, in Weija. She promised congregants miraculous financial returns in exchange for various sums of money, but the scheme turned out to be fraudulent, leaving her victims empty-handed.
This is not Agradaa’s first brush with the law. In 2021, she was convicted and sentenced to a fine of GH¢36,000 for operating a television channel without a license and displaying charlatanic materials. The fine was broken down into GH¢26,000 for the TV license offense and GH¢10,000 for displaying charlatanic materials. If she had defaulted, she would have served a year in prison for the latter charge and three years for the former.
Agradaa’s history of fraudulent behavior dates back to her days as a traditional priestess, where she claimed to possess magical powers to double money for people who paid her. After her 2021 conviction, she reinvented herself as an evangelist and purchased a church, continuing her fraudulent activities under the guise of religious rituals.
Presiding Judge, Her Honor Evelyn Asamoah, emphasized in her ruling that Nana Agradaa “executed the offenses skillfully” and showed “no remorse” for her actions. The judge described Agradaa’s conduct as calculated and deliberate, meant to exploit the faith of unsuspecting followers.
Agradaa’s lawyer has expressed dissatisfaction with the judgment, stating that they may appeal the sentence, citing its harshness.