The quest of Fetish Priestess turned Evangelist Patricia Asieduaa Oduro Koranteng, alias Nana Agradaa, to be granted bail by an Accra Circuit Court has been dashed, as she would spend the weekend in police cells.
Nana Agradaa, who entered the court amid singing and praises, went back disappointed, after the court, presided over by Samuel Bright Acquah, refused her bail for the second time this week.
Mr. Acquah refused the bail application on the grounds that the complainants are vulnerable and the accused, if given bail, could pay them off.
He, therefore, charged the prosecution to start putting its house in order, thereby remanding the accused into police custody to reappear on Monday, October 17, 2022.
Meanwhile, the Defence Counsel for the accused, Reindolf Twumasi, prayed the court to be magnanimous and grant the accused person bail while awaiting trial.
He added that the court should consider the current charges before it and not consider the previous life and past deeds of the accused person in taking that decision.
Furthermore, her counsel argued that the accused person had exhibited to the whole world that she was a born-again Christian, and whether or not she was born-again it was divine, and that she should be judged not on her past life, but the present.
“We are enjoined by the law to see her as innocent under Article 14, which guarantees the liberty of accused persons. The accused person is not ready to run away from the jurisdiction of the court. In fact, she willingly drove to the police station when she received a call from the police,” her Counsel told the court.
The defence counsel further stated that Nana Agradaa was ready to fight the case and clear her name, since the facts captured were all accusations and should not sway the court’s decision to deny the accused bail.
He contended: “She will appear to stand trial; the court is empowered to grant bail; nothing suggests that she will not appear to stand trial; even if she is given ten sureties, she will provide them. The police know her house and she has children who are minors and are going through mental agony and need the accused person.”
Mr. Twumasi alleged that although Nana Agradaa had already spent five days in custody, the prosecution was not doing any investigation, saying, “they are only fishing for information.”
The prosecuting officer, Deputy Superintendent Prosecution (DSP) Sylvester Asare, opposed the bail application, as the accused would interfere with investigations or evidence collection.
He added that out of the seven charges leveled against Nana Agradaa, six (defrauding by false pretences) were considered felonies. The other was charlatanic advertisement.
He continued that contact made with management of Today’s TV revealed that their reportage was based on the instruction of the accused, and this made it clear that she would hamper investigations.
DSP Asare said detaining the accused would be in the interest of the public, as “we have 30 complainants and we are still taking statements.”
