An Accra Circuit Court has fined former fetish priest, Patience Aseidua Koranteng popularly known as Nana Agradaa, a sum of Ghc36,000 for operating her television station illegally.
The sitting today, June 16, 2021,;presided over by Judge Emmanuel Essandoh charged Nana Agradaa for operating without a license and also for displaying charlatanic materials on her television channel.
According to reports,;the charge came after she pleaded guilty in court as against her initial plea of not being guilty when she was first arraigned before court.
For operating a TV station without license contrary to section 110 of the Electronic transaction Act 2008,;Act 772, she was charged with a Ghc36,000 fine. The court indicated that in case of a default,;she will be made to serve three years imprisonment in hard labor.
The court said,;the sentences are to be served concurrently which indicates that she will pay the highest fine which is GHc36,000.
On displaying charlatanic advertisement (Sika Gari) contrary to section 137 of the criminal offences Act, 1960,;the court asked her to pay a fine of GHC 10,000. Also in case of a default in fulfilling the charge, she would serve a year in prison.
Thunder TV and Ice TV shutdown
Two Television stations, Ice TV and Thunder TV, belonging to the priestess were shut down on April 20, 2021. The two media houses were amongst many on the state’s list in the wake of clamping down of some channels.
The owner of the satellite television channel Thunder TV, was arrested after the station was found to be operating illegally.
The arrest of Nana Agradaa follows a raid by a joint team of Police and National Security Intelligence Operatives,; in collaboration with the National Communications Authority on the premises of the satellite television stations; Thunder TV and Ice1 TV for illegally transmitting without licenses,;at Kasoa in the Central Region.
The further team arrested the offenders among which included the owner of Thunder TV, Nana Agradaa and led to the seizure of two (2) equipment each used in the illegal transmission from both premises.
Agradaa on debt settlement
Upon being arraigned before court,;she told the court that she has settled all her outstanding debts with the National Communications Authority (NCA).
But, the NCA on the other hand posited that, they did not know of any payment as claimed by the former fetish priest.
According to the National Communications Authority (NCA), Nana Agradaa’s Thunder TV had its authorization revoked on March 24, 2020.
On the other hand, Ice 1 TV, another channel of Nana Agradaa was also operating illegally even after a written directive to cease operations was served. Records available indicated that the authorization of Ice 1 TV expired on February 26, 2020.
This arrest, aside the NCA’s efforts of clamping down stations operating legally also stems from the murder of the 12- year-old boy by two teenagers who are said to have been influenced by a television program.
The issue sparked a public outcry which called for the clamping down of such channels.
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