Let the law deal with Agradaa if found guilty – Charismatic Bishops Conference
The Ghana Charismatic Bishops Conference has beseeched the appropriate law enforcement agencies to let the law take its course if Patricia Oduro, alias Nana Agradaa, is found guilty of fraud.
This call comes after the arrest of Nana Agradaa over allegations she ran a money-doubling scheme that defrauded her congregants.
General Secretary of the Ghana Charismatic Bishops’ Conference, Rev. Kwesi Deh, speaking on behalf of the Conference, said law enforcement agencies must act to bring such unlawful actions in the name of God to an end.
“It is possible for people in the name of religion to commit crime and fraud. Thank God Ghana is a very civilized society, and there are laws governing all these crimes. Therefore I think that the laws should deal with this issue.”
Rev Deh further protested the calls for regulating churches and their activities in the country.
“Churches in this country are the most orderly set. Yes, there are miscreants. Also, churches are not afraid of regulation; it is the type of regulation that is being talked about that we are against. Many churches are registered. What we are against are laws that will define the practice of things.”
“If someone involves in a money-doubling scam, that should not bring up the issue of regulation of churches. It is not a religious action in the first place,” he said in an interview with Citi TV, monitored by The Ghana Report.
Background
On Sunday, October 9, the police arrested Nana Agradaa following allegations of money doubling scam levelled against her by some members of the public.
A statement issued by the police said,” Anyone who is a victim of the alleged money doubling scam should report to the Accra Regional Police Command for further action to assist the investigation.”
This follows a viral video on social media of victims recounting their losses.
Some victims said they went to the church of Nana Agradaa as she advertised on her TV programme that she would be doubling money during Friday’s all-night service.
Based on this assurance, the affected worshippers said they were convinced to give her various sums in expectation of multiplied outcomes.
But in a series of viral videos on social media on Saturday, the church members who reposed confidence in the recently converted fetish priestess said their monies had not been doubled, with no trace of Nana Agradaa.
In their view, this smacks of a well-orchestrated scheme by the preacher to trick them out of their sweat.
Therefore, the angry and betrayed congregants trooped to the church premises on Saturday in search of answers from Evangelist Mama Pat.
Meanwhile, she has been remanded in lawful custody for three days by an Accra Circuit Court on Monday, October 10, 2020.
This was after she pleaded not guilty to charges of charlatanic advertisement and six counts of defrauding by false pretences.
The presiding judge, His Honour Samuel Bright Acquah, after listening to the bail application from her lawyers with prosecution opposing to same, remanded her.
The court said considering her previous experience with the law regarding ‘sika gari’ and now money doubling, no one knows what she would come up with next.
She is to reappear in court on October 13.