By Love Wilhelmina Abanonave
Lawyer and Member of Parliament for Bongo, Charles Bawaduah Esq., has stated that he believes the reduction of Nana Agradaa’s sentence from 15 years to one year is a mockery of Ghana’s justice system and sends the wrong message.
According to him, even if the reduction was necessary, it should not have been reduced to a year.
“The Court has made a mockery of Ghana’s Criminal Justice system by reducing Agradaa’s sentence. This is basically saying that you can do anything wrong and get away with it. The outcome does not serve us well as a country. Even though punishment is at the discretion of the court, I do not think, due to the nature of her offense, that was a judicious way to go about things,” he noted during a panel discussion on GBC’s Current Agenda on Saturday, February 7.
His comments come after the Amasaman High Court had Nana Agradaa’s 15-year prison sentence cut to 12 months for defrauding by false pretenses. Evangelist Patricia Asiedua Asiamah, popularly known as Agradaa, a former fetish priestess turned evangelist, was convicted of collecting money from church attendees by promising to double their cash through spiritual intervention, which she called Sika Gari.
The court cited the original sentence as “harsh” and “excessive”. Agradaa’s lawyers had argued that the trial was unfair, highlighting her remorse and fear of attending the sentencing hearing.
But MP for Bongo, Charles Bawaduah, said the justice system is not a joke and that the country might break down if laws are not enforced. He added that the country is riddled with problems because of the lack of respect for the law.
Agradaa is now expected to serve 12 months in prison, with a fine of GH¢2,400 or an additional three months in default. She must also refund GH¢1,000 to the victims.
