The police have preferred fresh charges against the founder of The Heaven Way Church, Patricia Asiedua, popularly known as Nana Agradaa.
She has pleaded not guilty to the fresh charges in an Accra circuit court presided over by Her Honour Evelyn Asamoah.
The judge remanded her into lawful custody to reappear on 24 October.
According to police records, the latest charges which are similar to the ones she is facing at another circuit court involved different complainants.
About the previous case
Last Thursday, Agradaa was refused bail a second time despite a spirited argument in court by her lawyer Reindolf Twumasi Ankrah in a separate case.
The counsel argued that the court should just pay attention to the charges levelled against the accused person and not previous deeds or public sentiment.
Charges
The Heaven Way Church founder has been charged on seven counts.
The first is charlatanic advertising in newspapers, contrary to Section 137 (1) of the Criminal Offences Act 1960 (Act 29).
The remaining six counts are all on the grounds of defrauding by false pretence, contrary to Section 131 (1) of the Criminal Offences Act 1960 (Act 29).
These six counts were preferred in response to complaints by six individuals who allege that they have been defrauded by the suspect.
The six complainants are Yaa Bremah, a trader from Ahenbubuanu Tafo, in Kumasi, Emmanuel Kumi from Zenu Ashaiman, in Greater Accra, George Boateng from Obuasi, Grace Forson, a hairdresser from Swedru, Mary Arthur, a farmer from Takoradi, and Patricia Ankamah, a trader from Sunyani.
Facts of the case
The accused person is Patricia Asiedua, the founder of Heaven Way Champion International Ministry in Weija, Greater Accra.
The complainants in the case reported to the police that on 5 October 2022, the accused advertised on Today TV and other social media platforms that she was able to double any amount of money an individual might give her (the accused). She further invited interested parties to sign up to the scheme.
The accused, per the said advert, invited members of the public to attend an all-night service at her church, Heaven Way Champion International Ministry, to benefit from the alleged money doubling.
The complainants and over a thousand other people attended the said all-night service and, at the request of accused, they handed over huge sums of money to her but she failed to double it as claimed.
The police launched an investigation into the matter and arrested the accused on 9 October 2022. During interrogation, Agradaa validated the account by the complainants.
Police investigations have established that on 5 October 2022, the accused advertised, using a self-made video on Today TV and other social media platforms, that she (Nana Agradaa) had the power to double any amount of money an individual might give her (the accused).
Further investigation established that the accused, per the said charlatanic advert, invited the public to attend an all-night church service at Heaven Way Champion International Ministry in Weija, a suburb of Accra, so that they could double their monies.
The charges say that, pursuant to the said adverts by the accused on social media, complainants came from far and near to attend the all-night service at Heaven Way Champion International Ministry to have their monies doubled by the accused.
They allege that Nana Agradaa successfully demanded and received huge sums of monies from members of the public and the complainants who attended the said all-night service.
Further investigations showed that the accused undertook the charlatanic advertisement and subsequent collection of money with the support of other people to assist the purported money doubling. Efforts are under way to identify and arrest these other individuals to assist in the investigation.
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