[ 2014-11-20 ]

Ghana Police still holding Radio Eye equipment despite 20-year court ruling
The Ghana Police Service is still holding
broadcasting equipment of Ghana’s first private
radio station, Radio EYE, which it confiscated, in
spite of a High Court ruling 20 years ago ordering
their release.

This was revealed by Board member of the National
Media Commission, Mr. Akoto Ampaw, who was
speaking at a National conference marking 20 years
of media pluralism in Ghana.

He described the continued possession of the
equipment as one of the Police’s
“quintessential acts of illegality”.

Narrating circumstances surrounding the
confiscation of the equipment, the lawyer said
although the 1992 Constitution made provision for
the existence of independent media, authorities
then had demonstrated considerable reluctance in
fulfilling this provision by granting licenses.

Despite an application by the Directors of Radio
EYE, Dr. Charles Wereko Brobby, Albert Kan-Dapaah
and others for a license for commercial
broadcasting, the authorizing body had become
evasive.

Postponing the decision to grant the license had
become frequent, testing the “lawful patience”
of Radio EYE’s management, the NMC Board member
said.

On 19th November 1994, in disregard for the
Frequency Control and Legislation decree, Radio
EYE began transmission.

For two weeks, the station aired its programmes to
the delight of the public who believed that
“rigid pathological monotony” of the state
broadcaster had been broken.

But this celebration was short-lived. Police CID
came crashing in, halting transmission. Charles
Wereko Brobby, Albert Kan-Dapaah and other
Directors were arrested and charged with the
criminal offence of broadcasting without a
license.

In the ensuing legal battle, the Accra High Court
acknowledged the infraction of the law but ordered
the Police to return the equipment.
The court order has fallen on deaf ears for 20
years.

Source - MyjoyOnline

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