The Amasaman High Court has postponed Nana Agradaa’s fraud conviction appeal ruling to February 5, 2026, delaying the evangelist’s challenge against her 15-year sentence for fraudulent schemes. The adjournment pushes the final determination of her case nearly three years after her initial conviction.
Patricia Asiedua Asiamah, popularly known as Nana Agradaa, was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment on July 3, 2025, after being found guilty of charlatanic advertisement and defrauding by false pretence. The conviction followed her high-profile trial involving spiritual money-doubling promises that swindled multiple victims.
In her fraud conviction appeal, the former fetish priestess-turned-evangelist contends the trial was legally flawed and the evidence presented didn’t support the verdict. She has described the 15-year sentence as excessive and disproportionate to the charges.
Her lawyer, Richard Asare Baffour, revealed to journalists on Wednesday that the adjournment followed the Attorney-General’s Office failure to comply with earlier court directives. “Technical challenges relating to the electronic evidence required for the appeal contributed to the delay,” Mr. Baffour stated outside the courtroom.
The defence team strongly opposed a request by state prosecutors for additional time to file submissions, arguing this further prolonged their client’s judicial ordeal. The court ultimately set February 5 as the ruling date while allowing the Attorney-General’s Office the option to file written addresses.
This technical evidence controversy now forms the crucial battleground for the appeal, with both sides expected to vigorously dispute the admissibility and handling of digital proof central to the original conviction. The electronic materials reportedly include mobile money transactions and social media broadcasts allegedly promoting her schemes.
The technical challenges surrounding electronic evidence collection have become a significant hurdle in Agradaa’s appeal process. Legal experts confirm that Ghana’s judicial system faces ongoing difficulties handling digital proofs such as mobile transaction records and deleted social media content. “These evidentiary complexities routinely delay high-stakes cases,” explained private legal practitioner Nana Kwame Asare-Donkoh, noting cybersecurity investigators often require extra time to authenticate materials.
Mr. Baffour reiterated the defense’s frustration with the repeated adjournments during Wednesday’s hearing, particularly opposing the Attorney-General’s request for additional filing time despite prior court directives. The lawyer confirmed: “The court has adjourned the case to February 5, 2026, to deliver its judgment. By then, the Office of the Attorney-General will have the opportunity to file its written addresses, if it is minded to do so.”
The Amasaman Court ruling now hinges partly on whether prosecutors can overcome digital evidence authentication challenges before February’s deadline – a recurring issue in Ghanaian fraud appeals. Similar evidentiary struggles notably delayed verdicts in both the 2023 ‘Sakawa Boys’ internet fraud case and Pastor Owusu Bempah’s 2021 defamation appeal.
Agradaa’s 15-year sentence stands among Ghana’s harshest punishments for non-violent financial crimes, exceeding the 5-10 year range typical for major fraud convictions. High Court records show only three defendants received longer sentences for financial offenses since 2020, all involving multi-million cedi losses across multiple jurisdictions.
This case’s prolonged resolution has intensified scrutiny of the Attorney-General’s Office case management efficiency. Governance analyst Kofi Abanesi observes: “When celebrity trials face repeated delays, public confidence erodes – especially with controversial spiritual fraud cases that personally impact many citizens.”
Legal observers anticipate the fraud appeal judgement could influence how courts handle digital evidence authentication in future charlatanic advertisement cases. The Judicial Service recently established specialized digital courts, but these won’t become operational until late 2026.
February 5, 2026 now represents a critical judicial milestone, as this high-profile ruling coincides with Ghana’s court system processing several delayed presidential election petition appeals from 2024. The synchronised timelines guarantee heightened public attention to judicial processes throughout the year.
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