The Kpando Circuit Court in the Volta Region has fined a pastor and two others for defying the Presidential directive on public gathering.

They were fined GH¢36,000 for breaching the Imposition of Restrictions Act, 2020 (Act 1012) for holding a service at the Church of Pure Christ in Peki.

According to the Peki Divisional Commander of Police, Superintendent Simon Agbodeka, the pastor "couldn't give us any reason apart from he is a Christian.

He said as a man of God, there’s nothing that stops them from celebrating Easter, the death and resurrection of his God so he doesn’t see why he should comply with the directive."

"He was arrested and formally charged and put before the court. They were convicted on their own plea. They fined 1,100 penalty units which amount to GH¢13,200 for each person. In default, it is four years imprisonment each with hard labour," he added.

The government has evacuated church services and arrested pastors in recent days as it has prohibited large gatherings in an attempt to curb the spread of the novel Coronavirus.

As governments across the globe have taken measures to ensure that citizens engage in social distancing so that they don't spread a virus that has already killed at least 153,822 people worldwide as on Saturday, April 18, 2020, some religious leaders have continued to hold worship services anyway.