January 27, 2022
Tamaki gets out of jail
Destiny Church leader Brian Tamaki will be back in the district court today after being released from prison yesterday after a high court appeal.
Tamaki spent nine nights in Mount Eden Prison after district court judge Evangelos Thomas found his appearance at a Christchurch anti-vaccine rally was a breach of bail.
But he won’t be able to cruise around the city on his Harley Davidson – Justice Paul Davison imposed new conditions including a 24-hour curfew and an order that he was not to hold gatherings at his home for the purpose of organising or encouraging noncompliance with Covid-19 restrictions.
He also can’t use the internet to incite non-compliance.
The conditions will remain until the district court deals with charges Tamaki breached Covid-19 lockdown restrictions by attending the Auckland Domain lockdown protests.
Tamaki’s lawyer Ron Mansfield QC told the court the 63-year-old has been fully co-operative and the court could have confidence he would comply with curfew.
Tamaki’s release from Mount Eden Correctional Facility last evening was welcomed with a haka by his followers, who had been camped outside the prison.