TV Licence task force cited for extortion

By David Prosper Naoh, Konongo

Accra - Two television Licence Task Force personnel of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, charged with the inspection of TV licences have allegedly defrauded defaulters at Konongo.

Instead of taking punitive measures against the defaualters, the GBC personnel allegedly threaten defaulters with arrest and prosecution. With this threat, they are able to extort various sums ranging between ?25,000 to ?60,000. Chronicle gathered that, on payment of such monies, the defaulters are issued with receipts covering the ?3000 official fee.

As many as seven persons confided in the Chronicle that they were victims of extortion by the Task Force and that, they were made to pay ?35,000 each. Ten people have so far lodged complaints of extortion against the Task Force with the Konongo Police, the Chronicle gathered.

The Police Commander in-charge of Konongo, Superintendent E. N. Asigbee, confirmed this following Chronicle enquiries and mentioned the accused as Kwasi Sarpong, as head of the Task Force Team. Superintendent Asigbee said following police enquiries at GBC in Kumasi, Mr. D. K. Adankwa, Regional Technical Officer, said the monies collected were on-the spot fines.

Adarkwa reportedly drew a blank when asked why there were no receipts covering the said fines. The Regional PRO of GBC, Mr. Mensah Nyarko, has denied the existence of an on-the-spot fine at GBC. The policy of GBC, according to Mensah Nyarko, is to issue summons once a defaulter refuses to pay for the licence one month into the year.

Kwasi Sarpong, according to the PRO, gave a spirited defence that, after the defaulters, in the company of policemen, had pleaded with them and left off the hook, they (defaulters), out of their own volition, decided to give them tips in appreciation of their leniency towards them. The GBC PRO, when pressed on why they did not send their accused to the Konongo Police since it was an act of obstruction of justice, Mensah Nyarko said GBC had not stood in the way of the police.