Coronavirus: London church investigated over 'protection' oil

Bishop Climate Wiseman is the head preacher at the south London church

A faith healer who sold £91 "plague protection kits" claiming they could shield people from Covid-19 is being investigated by the charity watchdog.

Bishop Climate Wiseman of the Kingdom Church in Camberwell, London, claimed a bottle of oil and some red yarn would protect his followers from the virus.

In a blog, he wrote "it is by faith you can be saved from the virus".

He said his church was not telling people to ignore government advice, adding his message was from the Bible.

"I'm a Christian and there is a way that the Bible says to protect us from plagues," he said.

"I have not told anybody to get out of your house, go anywhere or whatever."

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His blog said people would be protected "by covering yourself with the divine plague protection oil and wearing the scarlet yarn on your body.

"That is why I want to encourage you, if you haven't done so already, to get your divine plague protection kit today!"

Mr Wiseman told the PA news agency the church, which is a registered charity, had sold more than 1,000 of the kits, which were originally priced at £91.

He has previously insisted the church was not selling the kits, and that the price tag was only to cover the cost of the ingredients, yarn and postage and packaging.

The website link to buy them has since been deactivated following criticism from Southwark Council.

The Charity Commission, which regulates charities in England and Wales, said: "We are looking into the serious concern about Kingdom Church GB's alleged sale of false Covid-19 protection devices, as a matter of urgency."

The plague protection kit is one of many anointing oils offered by Mr Wiseman for a range of problems, including oil for peace, unlimited success oil and anointing oil for good marriages.

On the Kingdom Church's website, it claims thousands of people have been healed from "all sorts" of sicknesses and disease since it was founded in 2005.

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