A PASTOR who sold £91 “plague protection kits”  claiming they could shield people from COVID-19 is being investigated by the Charities Commission. 

Bishop Climate Wiseman of the Kingdom Church in Camberwell, London, claimed that the oil, which was being sold through his church’s website,  would protect members of his congregation from the virus.

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

His post said people would be protected “by covering yourself with the divine plague protection oil” adding  “that is why I want to encourage you, if you haven’t done so already, to get your divine plague protection kit today!”

The oil was produced from cedar wood, hyssop and scarlet yarn.

However, following criticism from Southwark Council the website link to buy them has been deactivated.

Speaking to the PA News agency Bishop Wiseman said his church was not telling people to ignore government advice, but said 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.”

Wiseman said the church, which is a registered charity, had sold over 1,000 of the kits.

But he insisted that it was not making a profit from them and that the reason the kits were priced at £91 was to cover the cost of the ingredients, and postage and packaging.

Victoria Mills, a Southwark Council cabinet member said: “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.”

A spokesperson for 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.”