Controversial Ghanaian televangelist Nana Agradaa’s 15-year prison sentence for defrauding church members has been reduced to just one year by the Amasaman High Court, sparking widespread criticism and debate. The court upheld her conviction but deemed the original sentence disproportionate, citing the need for proportionality in sentencing.
According to Pulse Ghana, Justice H.L. Solomon Oppong-Twumasi, who presided over the case, emphasized that sentencing should be corrective, not vindictive, and that the trial court had not sufficiently considered mitigating factors. The court also fined Agradaa GH¢2,400.
However, legal practitioner Samson Lardy Anyenini has slammed the reduction, arguing that the High Court overlooked aggravating factors and failed to protect the public from such fraud. “The Attorney-General has the option to appeal the reduced sentence if they believe it does not serve the interest of justice,” said Anyenini, urging the AG to take action.
Agradaa, founder of Godsway International Church, was convicted of defrauding church members through a money-doubling scam during a 2022 service. The original sentence included 15 years imprisonment with hard labor and a fine.
The reduction has raised concerns about sentencing consistency and public confidence in the justice system. Lawyer Prince Benson Mankotam described the ruling as a “bad precedent” and argued that defrauding by false pretense warrants a sentence of at least five years.
Agradaa is expected to be released from prison on March 3, 2026, having served about seven months of her revised sentence.
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Author: Korkor Anumu
