A Kenyan Pastor has gotten himself in trouble with the authorities in the United Kingdom for selling an anti-coronavirus oil to his members.
The founder of Bishop Climate Ministries in Camberwell District in South London, Climate Irungu Wiseman is currently under investigation.
According to a report by Independent UK, the Pastor who sold the bottle of the oil at £91 (N40,950) each, was accused of exploiting the public by selling the so-called “plague protection” kits, consisting of oil and red yarn.
A post by Bishop Climate Irungu Wiseman read;
“It is by faith that you can be saved from the Coronavirus pandemic by covering yourself with the Divine Plague Protection Oil and wearing the Scarlet Yarn on your body.”
Bishop Climate had claimed in a post shared on March 21, that he was “instructed” by the Lord to prepare an oil “mixed with cedar wood, hyssop, and prayer” for the pandemic.
He said, “As you use this oil, along with a special scarlet yarn, every coronavirus and any other deadly thing will pass over you.” He said.
The Kenyan Pastor further claimed that his product has worked before and will work again. Another page on the group’s website suggested followers could pay up to £910 for “sacrificial seed of divine protection” for their family.
The charities regulator has now launched an urgent probe into the Camberwell church over its sale of the oil it claimed could protect from coronavirus.
A spokesperson of the agency 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.
“We have opened a regulatory compliance case to assess the matter, and will be liaising as appropriate with other agencies.”
Southwark Council also confirmed that the church is being investigated over the products. Councillor Victoria Mills said in a statement;
“It is wrong for anyone to exploit people’s fears at this time of high anxiety and we encourage people to report any issues like this to London Trading Standards.
“This particular issue is already under investigation by our teams. There are many scams relating to Covid-19 and the council will be working hard to support consumers to be on guard for bogus test kits, cures and treatments and other financial scams.”
Southwark New reported that the post has now been edited and the specific reference to the £91 kit protecting wearers from coronavirus was removed. The post now claims that the oil will protect members from “every plague.”
A disclaimer on the church’s website now reads, “This articles and its opinion on this website is solely under Bishop Climate Ministries and Not the Kingdom Church.”
Defending himself, Mr Wiseman who is also a trustee of the Kingdom Church charity told the PA news agency that he has sold 1,000 of the kits, but that the price tag was only to cover the cost of ingredients, packaging, and posting.
He added;
“What is so wrong about putting into practice what the Bible says.”
