Founder of the Heaven Way Champion International Ministry, Patricia Asieduaa popularly known as Nana Agradaa has been remanded by an Accra Circuit Court for the second time.
Nana Agradaa will spend the next four days in police custody and will appear in court on October 17.
She has been charged with charlatanic advertisement and six counts of defrauding by false pretence to which she has pleaded not guilty.
The request for an extension was made by the prosecution led by Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Sylvester Asare, who told the court that they were amending the charge sheet to expand the number of victims as complaints to their office kept growing.
He said they currently had 30 complaints and were still taking statements and expressed fear that if Nana Agradaa was granted bail she may interfere with the investigation and evidence collection by paying off her victims who he said appeared vulnerable.
Nana Agradaa’s lawyer ReindorfTwumasiAnkrah vehemently opposed the prosecution’s position inviting the court not to consider her previous life and past deeds as she had exhibited in recent times that she was a new person.
“The accused person has exhibited to the whole world that she is born again and whether or not she is born again that one is divine. At present she should be judged not on her past life but the present one. We are enjoined by the law to see her as innocent under article 14 which guarantees the liberty of accused persons.”
He added that driving herself to the police station meant that she would avail herself for the trial and prayed the court to grant his client bail.
The Presiding Judge, Mr Samuel Bright Acquah, subsequently condemned Agradaa to four more days in custody with a warning to the prosecution to put their house in order.
Mr Acquah on Monday remanded her for the first time citing her history of doubling money termed as ‘SikaGari’ adding that her modus operandi hadn’t changed and one could not predict what she would bring next.
Nana Agradaa is currently facing accusations from six people over a money doubling scam they alleged was perpetuated by her at an all night church service she organised last Friday.
According to the facts presented by DSP Asare, she advertised the said all night service on Today TV and other social media platforms.
“The complainants and over 1,000 other people attended the said all night service, and upon the request of accused person handed over huge
sums of money to the accused which she failed to double as alleged,” DSP Asare told the court.
BY NANA BENTSI ODURO