Sixteen individuals affiliated with the New Patriotic Party (NPP) have been convicted and fined for their involvement in the invasion of United Television (UTV) on October 7, 2023. The incident disrupted the popular show ‘United Showbiz’ and created a wave of outrage.
The Achimota Magistrate Court ruled on the matter, charging the convicted individuals with conspiracy to commit a crime and rioting. Each of the sixteen culprits was ordered to pay a fine of GH₵200 as part of their punishment. The convicted men had pleaded guilty to the charges, leading to their subsequent conviction.
The invasion occurred while the ‘United Showbiz’ program was in progress, as a group of NPP-affiliated individuals forcibly entered the UTV studio. They disrupted the live show and went on to issue threats against the host and her guests.
The assailants were reportedly agitated by the actions of A Plus, a panellist on the show, who had torn a letter from the NPP leadership into pieces. The letter had requested reforms to the ‘United Showbiz’ panel.
The involvement of key NPP figures, including the Klottey Korle Youth Organizer and allegedly Deputy Director of Communications, Ernest Owusu Bempah, in organizing the attack was also revealed.
The invasion was widely condemned by various organizations, including the Ghana Journalists Association and the Information Ministry. Following the incident, the National Chairman of the NPP, Stephen Ntim, made a public apology to the management of UTV.
He expressed his disapproval of the actions of the NPP-affiliated individuals and assured that the party’s leadership would take steps to prevent any recurrence of such reprehensible behavior.