Christ Embassy Sydney in Blacktown and its congregation have already been fined $35,000, for breaking COVID rules prohibiting the gathering, with the Church fined $5000. The 60 people present were told to go home, by police who attended the church at 7:30 Sunday night.

The NSW police report that they followed up with 27  new fines of  $500 to the same attendees for failing to wear or carry a mask.

A prohibition order was also served on pastor Marvin Osaghae about 6am today, which prevents the church from operating for a seven-day period.

He was also issued a $500 fine for not wearing a mask while in a public place.

This takes the church’s total fines to $49,000.

Eternity reported on Monday that Christ embassy Sydney is a small branch of a large Nigerian Church run by pastor Chris Oyakhilome who has a total personal wealth of US$50m.

Ovkhilome is an anti-vaxxer. According to Sahara Reports, a Nigerian news site reported in march that Ovakhilome attacked the faith of Nigerian Christians who took the Astra Zeneca vaccine saying Christians should believe in the word of God more than the vaccine, adding that they are healers. ““What happened to you?” he said. “Where is the word of God in your mouth? Do you realise if you believe in the word of God the way you believe in this vaccine, there will be power in your mouth? He made us healers. What’s wrong? What happened to you?”

In April the UK Government communications regulator, Ofcom, fined Loveworld Channel, founded by  Oyakhilome, £125,000 for unsubstantiated conspiracy theories about COVID-19.