NRTV assets fetched more than US$50,000 at a public auction on Wednesday as workers moved to recover nearly US$278,000 in unpaid salaries.
However, the execution took a dramatic turn when company representatives allegedly refused to grant the Sheriff of the High Court access to the broadcaster’s premises for the sale of an attached generator.
The generator had been designated for an in situ sale, requiring the Sheriff and prospective bidders to proceed to NRTV premises after the main auction.
National Interest News was told that that upon arrival, the Sheriff and bidders found the gates closed and were allegedly denied entry by company representatives.
The Sheriff subsequently resorted to alternative lawful means to gain access to the property, allowing the court-sanctioned auction to proceed.
The generator was eventually sold, bringing the attempted disruption to an end and adding its proceeds to money raised from the disposal of other attached NRTV assets.
The incident added another layer to a labour dispute that has progressed from months of unpaid salaries to arbitration, court enforcement and ultimately the forced sale of company property.
At Wednesday’s auction, attached NRTV vehicles, the generator and other assets generated more than US$50,000 in gross proceeds, according to preliminary figures.
Computers, office furniture and other attached operational assets were also auctioned.
The exact amount ultimately available to settle the workers’ claim is yet to be established, with the Sheriff expected to reconcile the proceeds and issue a final account of the sale.
But one vehicle targeted during the execution remains outstanding.
A Toyota Fortuner previously listed among the attached assets has not been recovered after the Sheriff failed to locate it during an earlier removal exercise.
In a Return of Service dated August 19, the Sheriff recorded that efforts to have the defendants produce the vehicle had been unsuccessful, resulting in a police report being filed.
“A police report was made under RRB Number 6951756 for Toyota Fortuner which was missing at the address for service on the day of removal,” the Sheriff recorded.
Workers involved in the case allege that the Toyota Fortuner had been in the possession of an NRTV manager.
The auction stems from a protracted salary dispute involving more than 70 NRTV employees who are seeking approximately US$278,000 in unpaid wages accumulated between December 2024 and September 2025.
