Some Ghanaian legal practitioners are mounting pressure on the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Dr Dominic Ayine, to appeal evangelist Patricia Asiedua, popularly known as Agradaa reduced jail term by the Amasaman High Court.
The Amasaman High Court’s decision on February 5, 2026, described Agradaa’s original punishment as harsh and excessive under the circumstances of the case.
The Amasaman High Court, in its decision, affirmed her conviction but exercised its discretion to vary the sentence, reducing the 15 years of hard labour earlier imposed by the trial court.
Agradaa’s revised sentence takes effect from July 3, 2025, the date of her conviction, which means she will serve a total of 12 months in prison.
The court decision will now see Agradaa being freed from prison by July 2026.
The Amasaman High Court added that although the offences for which Agradaa was convicted warranted punishment, the severity of the initial sentence was disproportionate under the circumstances, justifying a downward adjustment.
Following the Amasaman High Court decision, Samson Lardy Anyenini, a legal practitioner and broadcast journalist, has told the Attorney General to act and appeal the reduced sentence handed to evangelist Patricia Asiedua, commonly known as Agradaa.
According to Anyenini, Agradaa was convicted of misdemeanour and second-degree felony.
He stressed that under the old legal regime, the maximum custodial sentence should not exceed 10 years.
Samson Lardy Anyenini urged the Attorney General to take up the matter in the Court of Appeal to reverse the sentence.
Anyenini further urged the AG to overturn the sledgehammer ruling and restore the teeth to our criminal justice system, warning that failure would amount to an abdication of the state’s duty to protect the public.
Speaking on JoyNews’ NewsFile on Saturday, February 7, 2026, Anyenini stated, “This is not where you sit back and say, ‘Oh, I did my case, got 15 years, and the court has reduced it to one year, so my job is done. No, the state, which has hired you to work, requires you to take this case up to the Court of Appeal and get this sentence reversed,” he stated.
Samson Lardy Anyenini stressed that Ghana’s Justice thresholds were not set for nothing.
“If the state does not appeal this reduction, it signals an abdication of its duty to protect the public from such spiritual predators,” he indicated.
“I mean, the repentant, unquote, get a pass, while the poor rot in jail for stealing a goat. AG, it is time to act. Overturn this sledgehammer ruling and restore the teeth to our criminal justice system,” he said.
In that same vein, Legal experts and public commentators, Austin Kwabena Brako-Powers, has critcised the Amasaman High Court Judge for reducing the sentence of spiritualist Patricia Asiedu, popularly known as Agradaa, from 15 years to just 12 months.
According to Brako-Powers, the Amasaman High Court decision is absurd and a mockery of the law.
Brako-Powers highlighted that the judge’s decision is surprising, arguing that it sends the wrong signal to the public.
He explained that the judge’s decision almost reclassifies a serious felony as a mere misdemeanour, adding that a Second-degree felonies are serious crimes.
Speaking on 3FM’s Midday News on Thursday, February 5, 2026, Mr Brako-Powers explained, “It is quite surprising, but it is not new for an appellate court to reduce a sentence from 15 years to just 12 months. The key question people will be asking is: Is this really legal?”
“The imposition of jail time or years of imprisonment is discretionary. Just that the law has circumscribed the years that must be imposed,” he added.
Brako-Powers added, “To reduce a sentence from 15 years to just one year is absurd. At that point, it almost reclassifies a serious felony as a mere misdemeanour. Judges must take solace in the law and act within the legal framework. Anything less undermines justice.”
“The State has options. Acts like these should be met with sanctions that deter others. One year is simply inadequate for a crime of this magnitude,” he said.
Mr Brako-Powers also emphasised, “The judge’s decision has made a mockery of the law. Second-degree felonies are serious crimes, and leniency of this kind erodes trust in our criminal justice system”.
Additionally, lawyer Prince Benson Mankotam has also criticised the High Court’s decision, describing the ruling as a bad precedent for the administration of justice.
He added that the sentence reduction was inconsistent with Ghana’s sentencing framework for defrauding by false pretence.
Speaking on the issue on Starr Showbiz on Saturday, February 7, lawyer Prince Benson Mankotam stated, “Defrauding by false pretence is a second-degree felony, and the punishment can go as high as 25 years”.
“Even if the court wanted to be lenient, the guidelines do not support reducing the sentence to one year,” he said, stressing that “a sentence of not less than five years would have been more appropriate.”
“This was a case where religion was used as a tool to defraud people. The Attorney-General has the option to appeal the reduced sentence if they believe it does not serve the interest of justice,” he said.
Watch the video below:
Reducing Agradaa’s sentence to 1 year is very wrong. The Attorney-General must appeal to get Agradaa’s sentence increased again – Samson Anyenini
— Hubert Tieku Esq (@KwesiHubert) February 8, 2026
I really hope the A-G actually sees this https://t.co/x6ZKsGX943 pic.twitter.com/BUCpJWXbqf