It was a court bailiff and police who went to Metro TV to execute court order - Police

It was a court bailiff accompanied by police personnel who went to the premises of Metro TV on Wednesday morning to execute a court order, the Ghana Police Service has explained.

”Preliminary Police investigations indicate that upon a request from the court, Police Officers accompanied a court bailiff in the company of the judgment creditor, Vodacom Business (Ghana) Limited, to execute a court order against Metro TV,” a statement issued by the police on Wednesday afternoon said.

The police statement was a clarification to earlier reports that suggested that some armed men had attacked Metro TV and in the process injured two private security officers who had sought to prevent them from gaining full access to the premises of the Accra based television station.

The incident happened at a time the Good Morning programme hosted by Randy Abbey was on air.

Randy Abbey had gone ahead to announce the incident on live TV.

Responding, the police in the statement said it has launched an investigation into the disruption that occurred at the premises of Metro TV on Wednesday, November 27.

In a statement, the police said preliminary findings indicate officers accompanied a court bailiff, along with representatives of Vodacom Business (Ghana) Limited, the judgment creditor, to enforce a court order against Metro TV.

The security personnel at the TV station however prevented the bailiff from serving the court order.

This exchange disrupted activities at the TV station.

“We urge the public, particularly the management and staff of Metro TV, to remain calm and cooperate with the police in the ongoing investigation,” the statement added.

The incident disrupted the live broadcast of Metro TV’s flagship programme, Good Morning Ghana.

Host Randy Abbey in a video circulated on social media said that tensions arose when the group attempted to seize his personal vehicle, which he argued had no connection to Metro TV.

“They said they were here to enforce a court order. I asked, ‘Court order against who?’ They claimed it was against Metro TV, but this car isn’t for Metro TV. Why block my car? Am I Metro TV? Am I a shareholder or director?” Mr Abbey questioned.

The situation escalated further as the team reportedly tried to force their way into the studio.

Metro TV’s private security personnel were said to have blocked the intrusion but at the cost of two security officers sustaining injuries.

“You may have noticed we had to take an abrupt break,” Abbey said on air during the broadcast.

“It was due to some armed men and others trying to forcibly enter the studio. Our private security intervened, and unfortunately, some were injured. Police officers were also present, but we still don’t know why they were trying to access the studio,” Randy Abbey said on the live TV programme without mentioning the court issue. However, another video shared on social media shows him narrating how he had been approached and informed about the court order when he arrived and even before he went on air.

Guests on the Wednesday morning programme at the time included Kwesi Pratt Jnr., Managing Editor of the Insight newspaper, and Dr. Richard Asante Yeboah, Executive Secretary of the Public Servants Housing Loan Scheme.

Read the police statement below: