Destiny Church's Brian Tamaki 'treated like a prisoner' and stripped down to his undies before court appearance

The wife of Destiny Church leader Brian Tamaki has revealed how her husband was treated "like a prisoner" for six hours while he waited in a holding cell for his court appearance yesterday.

In a live Facebook video, Hannah Tamaki said her unsuspecting husband was stripped down to his undies and had his DNA and fingerprints taken at the Henderson custody unit yesterday morning.

Destiny Church leader Brain Tamaki speaking at the Covid-19 lockdown and vaccination protest at Auckland Domain at the weekend. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Brian Tamaki was transported from the Auckland Central Police Station earlier in the day when the Mt Eden custody unit was closed for a deep clean after a Covid-positive man escaped from the Holiday Inn MIQ facility and was put in the cell overnight.

The 63-year-old appeared in court later in the day charged with breaching his bail conditions and a fresh charge of violating a Covid-19 lockdown order by attending a second lockdown protest at the weekend. Tamaki is defending these charges and an earlier charge of organising and attending a mass gathering at the start of the month.

Auckland District Court Judge Josephine Bouchier addressed Tamaki via an audio-video feed and following a stern warning released him with same bail conditions.

Those conditions include complying with any Covid-19 level requirements, which include not attending or organising any protest and not accessing the internet for the purpose of organising or inciting non-compliance.

Hannah Tamaki said her husband didn't realise just how close he was to going to jail until he was at the custody unit.

"He actually was processed like a prisoner," she said.

Tamaki leaves Henderson police station after appearing in court via AVL. Photo / Hayden Woodward

"He had his mug shot taken, he had his fingerprints taken, he had his DNA taken. He was stripped down to his undies - lucky he wears undies - and he had to sign some forms and he did see on the form that they were doing this process because they were seriously considering putting him in proper prison for six months."

Tamaki was then put in a small cell where he waited for six hours until his court appearance and at one point told her even had to ask for a water.

As he lay in the dark cell, he pulled his mask over his eyes and imagined he was in his happy places, she said.

Approximately 2000 people gathered in the Auckland Domain for an anti lockdown protest. Photo / Sylvie Whinray

"I just took my place to all the nice places. I took myself to my family, I took myself to my hunting spot, I took myself to church, I took myself home," he told her. "And I thought that was really awesome because I think sometimes some of us don't appreciate what we have on the outside and our freedoms and our liberties and that's what we are standing for."

Tamaki took her latest video which she has named Hannah's Truthful Media on the way to drop biscuits off to their high-profile lawyer Ron Mansfield and his team.