Preacher who sold anti-covid ‘protection oil’ guilty of fraud

A PREACHER told his congregation they would die of Covid if they did not buy his £91 “plague protection oil”, a court heard.

Climate Wiseman, 47, warned his followers they could “end up dropping dead” during the pandemic and urged them to get the mix of hyssop, cedarwood and olive oil as soon as possible.

The oil was sold under names including “divine cleansing oil” and “plague protection oil”, or as part of a “divine plague protection kit”, containing a prayer card and scarlet yarn.

Wiseman, the self-styled Bishop of the Kingdom Church in Camberwell, south London, said he was inspired by a visitation from God telling him he is a prophet who can cure coronavirus.

He told jurors he has performed miracles, including curing the blind, and insisted he believed the oil – which he never claimed had a scientific or medical effect – was capable of curing or preventing Covid-19 for him and members of his church because of their faith.

Ten witnesses from his congregation, including nurses, said that they were cured or prevented from getting Covid after using the oil by steam inhalation or rubbing it on their skin.

Wiseman, who offered other products for sale denied fraud and two alternative counts under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations.

But he was found guilty by a jury at Inner London Crown Court yesterday of the more serious offence of fraud between March 23 2020 and March 24 last year by a majority of 11 to one.

Judge Nigel Peters KC, who granted Wiseman bail ahead of sentencing on Jan 13, said he was carrying out the fraud when “there was fear amongst the public in this country”.

“This was being touted at a time when the public in this country were under the most intense pressure as to what would happen tomorrow,” he added.

Also known as Dr Climate Wiseman and Climate Irungu, he and his church were investigated in 2016 for offering an oil for sale that was said to cure cancer, but no prosecution was brought after the product was withdrawn.

Southwark Trading Standards was alerted to the Covid scam on March 24 2020 – the day after the country was plunged into lockdown – while the BBC also carried out an investigation.

Wiseman said his cure was based on the teachings of the Bible.