The Charity Commission has opened a statutory inquiry into Christ Embassy over concerns about its use of charitable funds, particularly connected party payments.
A statement on the Commission’s website said that: “The Commission had been examining various concerns about the charity. These were not resolved and on 29 July 2013 the Commission opened a statutory inquiry using its powers in s46 Charities Act 2011.”
The aim of the investigation is “to examine the regulatory concerns raised and determine whether there has been any mismanagement or misconduct on behalf of the charity trustees” and “establish whether charitable funds have been properly applied and take appropriate remedial action if necessary”.
According to the latest accounts filed with the Commission, in 2011 two of Christ Embassy's trustees – Reverend Anita Oyakhilome (who is married to fellow trustee and face of the organisation Reverend Christopher Oyakhilome) and Pastor Nkem Odiakah were paid £38,877 and £30,257 respectively, for their roles as pastors.
The charity also paid Loveworld Ltd to transmit television broadcasts. One of the charity’s trustees, Pastor Obi Chiemeka, is a director and sole shareholder of Loveworld Ltd. A grant of £665,360 was made to Loveworld Television Ministry in that year.
Other grants to partner organisations, all currently listed on the Christ Embassy website under the "our ministry" tab, include £1,350 to Healing School, which has a website featuring healing video case studies and hosts healing sessions in South Africa and Nigeria; £114,027 to International School Of Ministry, a pastor-training initiative of Christ International, and £5,700 to Rhapsody Realities, a subscription website and magazine produced by Christ Embassy.
Grants to other partner organisations are recorded as £67,558. Christ Embassy also made £145,857 worth of grants as assistance to individuals in 2011.
Christ Embassy was registered in 1996 “to advance the Christian faith”. It makes grants to people in need and similar organisations, and provides educational material. It is led by Rev. Christopher Oyakhilome, who is one of the charity's trustees.
Since 2007 the charity has more than doubled its income, from £5.1m in that year to just under £13m for the year-end December 2011. Most of its income is reported as voluntary income.
Its expenditure for 2011 was £8.1m. Of that almost £1m was spent on grants, nearly £2m on support and governance costs, £2.6m on ministry, £2m on premises costs and £620,000 on staff costs.
It employs 28 people. Total staff costs were £619,521 and no member of staff was paid more than £60,000.
Christ Embassy has not responded to civilsociety.co.uk’s request for comment.
