Agradaa not a mosquito, Amasaman High Court drastic reduction of her jail term will embolden charlatans — Samson

Private legal practitioner, Samson Lardy Anyenini, has launched a scathing critique of the Amasaman High Court’s decision to reduce evangelist Nana Agradaa’s prison sentence from 15 years to one year, warning that the ruling is legally flawed and socially dangerous.

Speaking on Newsfile on Saturday, 7th February 2026, Anyenini argued that the drastic reduction trivialises a serious criminal offence and sends the wrong signal to society. He maintained that Agradaa’s actions amounted to a second degree felony and not a minor infraction deserving such leniency, stressing that the scale and impact of the crime demanded a sentence that reflected its gravity.

According to him, Agradaa was “not a mosquito,” underscoring that her conduct caused extensive harm rather than negligible damage. He described her actions as organised, faith-based fraud deliberately structured to exploit vulnerable people in search of spiritual and financial relief.

Anyenini explained that such conduct is inherently predatory, abusing religious trust and belief systems while leaving victims emotionally, spiritually and financially wounded.

“Beyond individual victims, the offence inflicts serious social harm, eroding public trust and normalising exploitation under the guise of religion,” he argued.

He cautioned that the ruling risks transforming the law from a deterrent into a shield for wrongdoing, potentially encouraging other self styled spiritual leaders and charlatans to engage in similar fraudulent activities with little fear of serious consequences.

“This ruling will empower these charlatans to persist in their fraudulent activities,” he warned, adding that it weakens the state’s capacity to confront organised religious scams.

The Newsfile host further described the judgment as fundamentally defective and urged the Attorney General to take swift steps to address the matter. He argued that allowing the decision to stand unchallenged would undermine public confidence in the justice system and expose vulnerable citizens to continued exploitation.

Describing the sentence reduction as a “sledgehammer ruling” with far-reaching implications, Anyenini insisted that the decision must be revisited to protect the integrity of the law and ensure that organised fraud, particularly when cloaked in religion, attracts punishment proportionate to its seriousness.