The Ghana Police Service has arrested the self styled Evangelist, Patricia Oduro Koranteng alias Nana Agradaa, founder of Heavens Champion International Ministry at Kasoa for the second time following allegations of money doubling scam leveled against her by some members of her church.
Nana Agradaa was arrested on Sunday and rushed to the Greater Accra Regional Police Command to assist in an investigation after viral videos showing some church members accusing her of duping them with money doubling scam.
Money Doubling
The repented fetish priestess Nana Agradaa, over the weekend, struck again by scamming hundreds of her church members to whom she had promised free money with her money-doubling scam, known as “Sika Gari”.
She allegedly perpetrated the scam against the congregants of the Heavens Way Church in Weija, Accra after she allegedly promised to give them GH¢300,000 on her Television Broadcast which she said to double whatever money a member brings during a special all-night service on Friday, October 7, 2022.
Mad Rush Of Church Members
The quest for a quick and easy way to make money attracted more congregants to the church she recently founded, to offer various sums of money with the hope of having it in tenfolds.
Last Friday, members of her church went agog after she failed to live up to her promise to them that she would give them vast sums of monies if they turned over their monies to her.
The victims, however, were left disappointed after Nana Agradaa disappeared after collecting their monies throughout the night.
This resulted in chaotic scenes at the church premises the next morning as aggrieved church members who stayed throughout the night angrily wander about in tears without knowing the next step to take.
The aggrieved victims wailed and protested at her church premises in Weija to demand a refund of their monies.
The church members explained that she had collected large sums of money from them with promises that she would give them even more princely sums.
Victims Rain Curses
Some of the victims who cried rained curses on her and her pastors, praying that the curses pursue them for generations to come.
A male victim said “You these men of God and the things you are doing in this country… You should be steady. Why would you invite somebody to your church only to dupe the person?”
One victim said “She has collected our money. She has collected sums ranging between five million (sic). She has collected large sums of money from many people. But then she failed to give them the money she promised to give us, which has led to this problem.”
One other person said that Madam Agradaa had promised to share money on Friday, but failed to do so. She collected all of the money. Even our transportation money, so we are unable to go back”.
Police Earlier Encounter
However, last Saturday evening, the Police in a statement released said they have commenced an investigation into the matter after the videos of the victims went viral.
“The Police have commenced investigation into alleged money doubling scam allegedly perpetrated against some members of the Heavens Way Church in Weija, Accra, by the founder of the church Patricia Asiedua.
“The investigation was initiated following reports that have come to the attention of the Police on the matter,” excerpts of the police statement read.
The Police further urged anyone with information that can assist the investigation to report to the Accra Regional Police Command at Accra.
“While the investigation continues, we advised the victims to remain calm and law-abiding”. the police said.
Who Is She
Before she became a priestess virtually overnight, Agradaa, was well-known for using thugs to assault her victims who dared to challenge her antics at Sowutuom in Accra, where she had an operational centre.
She was only arrested by the police after a major media campaign, but was let go by the police after she claimed she was now a Christian.
First Arrest
On April 21, 2021, she was arrested by a joint team of Police and National Security Intelligence Operatives, in collaboration with the National Communications Authority, after they stormed the premises of two satellite television stations, namely, Thunder TV and Ice1 TV, who were illegally transmitting without licenses, at Kasoa in the Central Region.
The team arrested the offenders among which included the owner of Thunder TV, Patience Asiedua, popularly known as Nana Agradaa and seized two equipment each used in the illegal transmission from both premises.
Nana Agradaa was advertising her “Sika Gari” show on her TV station, which she claims is her personal god that multiplies money with some rituals she makes.
She admitted this illegality at the time and was placed in custody to assist with further investigations.
Prosecution
On June 17, 2021, an Accra Circuit Court sentenced her to a fine of GH¢36,000 for operating a television channel without license and displaying charlatanic materials.
In default, Nana Agradaa will serve three years imprisonment in hard labour on the charge of operating a television channel without licence.
On displaying charlatanic materials, for which she should pay a fine of GH¢10,000, she would serve a year in prison should she default.
The sentences are, however, to run concurrently.
Plea Changed
The court, presided over by Emmanuel Essandoh, convicted Agradaa on her own plea.
She had earlier pleaded not guilty, but changed it to guilty.
Another Arrest
Nana Agradaa was arrested in April this year after a joint team of officers from the police and National Security, in collaboration with the National Communications Authority, raided the premises of her two TV stations at Kasoa in the Central Region.
The team also seized equipment used in the transmission of television signals from both stations.
Her arrest was part of an operation that led to the closure of 49 television stations in the country on a single day.
Before her arrest, hundreds of her vcitims had cases pending at various police stations against her. She was not prosecuted on even one case.
Repentance
On April 29, within hours of being granted police bail, Agradaa announced that she was now a Christian and a priest.
She later paraded several men and women of God in front of her home at Sowutuom and burnt some pieces of wood she claimed were her gods.
BY Daniel Bampoe