The Charity Commission has opened a statutory inquiry into Jesus Power House Ministries LTD following concerns that there is or has been misconduct and/or mismanagement in the charity's administration, particularly regarding the management of its finances.
The regulator will also look into how these concerns indicate that potentially significant risk may have been placed on the charity's assets, beneficiaries, or work and whether the charity is operating for the public benefit.
The London-based church was registered as a charity in 2009 and its aims are the advancement of Christian religion and education, alleviation of poverty and supporting humanitarian causes.
The Commission's concerns include possible misapplication of funds for unauthorised payments to a trustee, the submission of potentially inaccurate financial accounts suggesting a lack of transparency, and it has also noted the charity has submitted accounts which do not comply with the Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP).
Due to the concerns over financial mismanagement and risk to assets, the Commission has already utilised its powers to freeze the charity's bank account while it investigates these matters.
The regulator will also investigate whether the charity has been operating with insufficient trustees as it appears to have only one while its governing document requires three. This would call into question the validity of trustee decision-making, which the regulator will review as part of its inquiry. However, since the opening of the inquiry, the charity has informed the regulator that it has appointed three new trustees.
The inquiry will examine the following regulatory issues:
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The extent to which the trustees have and are complying with their legal duties in respect of the administration, governance and management of the charity, with particular regard to the management of the charity's finances and unauthorised trustee and related party benefits.
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Whether there has been any misconduct and/or mismanagement by the trustees and consider whether remedial regulatory action is necessary.
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Whether the charity is accurately accounting for its funds and assets in accordance with legal requirements.
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Whether the charity's objects are being met and the charity is operating for the public benefit.
The regulator may extend the scope of the inquiry if additional regulatory issues emerge.
It is the Commission's policy, after it has concluded an inquiry, to publish a report detailing the issues examined, any action taken, and the inquiry's outcomes.
