The much-anticipated court hearing in the defamation case filed by popular gospel musician Empress Gifty Adorye against controversial evangelist Patricia Asiedua, widely known as Nana Agradaa, faced an unexpected delay on Wednesday at the Tema High Court.
The plaintiff’s legal team, led by Sam Kyere of Osei Aidoh Akpokavie and Co., expressed disappointment after Nana Agradaa’s lawyer failed to appear in court, stalling a motion for an interlocutory injunction intended to restrain the defendant from further defamatory remarks.
“We were looking forward to the court moving the motion for interlocutory injunction to restrain the defendant from making derogatory remarks against the plaintiff, Empress Gifty,” Kyere told journalists outside the courtroom.
“Unfortunately, the defendant’s lawyer didn’t appear in court today, so we couldn’t get the court to move the motion.”
The absence of legal representation on the part of the defendant not only delayed proceedings but also intensified tensions in a case that has garnered significant public and media interest.
Empress Gifty’s legal team further disclosed that Nana Agradaa’s lawyer has filed an application seeking to dismiss the defamation suit entirely. The basis of the application, according to the team, is that Agradaa’s comments were “mere insults” and not legally defamatory.
In a swift response, the gospel singer’s lawyers submitted an affidavit in opposition, insisting that the statements made by Agradaa clearly meet the legal threshold for defamation and have caused reputational and emotional harm. The court has now scheduled a hearing on the application to strike out the case for 26 June 2025.
Background to the Legal Dispute
The lawsuit arises from a series of scathing online attacks allegedly made by Nana Agradaa against Empress Gifty on May 13, 2025. These attacks, reportedly provoked by a personal dispute involving Gifty’s husband, politician Hopeson Adorye, were livestreamed on Agradaa’s Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube accounts.
During the broadcasts, Agradaa is alleged to have accused Empress Gifty of promiscuity and made other damaging allegations, all in Twi and widely circulated across social media platforms.
Empress Gifty responded by filing a GH¢20 million defamation lawsuit on 20 May 2025, through her legal counsel at Osei Aidoh Akpokavie and Co.
Known for her hit song Watch Me and her role as host of UTV’s United Showbiz, Empress Gifty argues that the defamatory remarks have seriously harmed her reputation, disrupted her professional engagements both locally and internationally, and caused emotional distress to her family.
