Camberwell’s Bishop Climate Wiseman has appeared in court accused of capitalising on the Coronavirus crisis to sell fraudulent ‘plague protection kits’.
Southwark Council’s trading standards team took action after a News investigation alleged that the pastor, who heads up The Kingdom Church, was selling infused oil and string for £91 as a prevention and cure for COVID-19 during the height of the pandemic in 2020.
The council says its investigators were told that ‘at least ten people’ had been cured using the product.
At Lavender Hill Magistrates’ Court on Monday, August 16, the 46-year-old pleaded not guilty to a single charge of fraud, and two charges under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations between March 23 and 24.
His defence said he had been exercising his ‘freedom to practise his religion’.
The case was sent to trial at Inner London Crown Court, with the bishop next due to appear on September 13.