Accra: Lawyers for Patricia Asiedua, also known as 'Agradaa,' have appealed against her 15-year jail term, arguing that "the whole trial was wrong in law." They contend that the "sentence of 15 years in hard labour is harsh and excessive, taking into consideration the circumstances of the case."
According to Ghana News Agency, the appeal was filed before the Amasaman High Court on July 7, 2025. Agradaa, founder of Heaven Way Champions International Ministry, was sentenced on July 3, 2025, to 15 years' imprisonment for engaging in charlatanic advertisements and two counts of defrauding by false pretences.
Her lawyers argue that the conviction and sentence should be set aside as the judgement was unreasonable and could not be supported by the evidence on record. In the petition of the appeal documents filed before the High Court, the lawyers explained that "the trial judge denied the petitioner fair trial by calling her to prove her innocence when prosecution had led no or insufficient evidence, contrary to Article (19) (2) (c) of the 1992 Constitution."
The appeal further claims that the trial judge demonstrated manifest bias and personal animosity towards the petitioner by persistently engaging in confrontations, harassment, and intimidation of the accused's lawyers in open court, thereby denying her adequate and effective representation.
