Winners Chapel International has been cleared of being complicit by a British agency, Charity Commission, in the alleged misappropriation of N3.4bn charity funds.
According to Charity Commission, the probe into the church’s books were launched following complaints from an “investigative journalist.”
The agency recently published the report of its findings, saying that Winners Chapel International, also known as World Mission Agency, demonstrated “good financial controls” for an organisation of its size.
Although the findings stressed that the “employment of an individual who was related to the founder” generated a potential conflict, the agency said it was satisfied with the decision of the trustees in respect of the employment.
“Our review of the charity’s financial information identified minor discrepancies. However, the trustees were able to explain and resolve these. We found no evidence that N3.4bn or any other amount had been misappropriated.
“We were satisfied the charity could demonstrate good financial controls appropriate for a large and expanding charity,” said the report.
The agency also investigated “the transfer of the charity’s funds to its sister organisation in Nigeria; the conduct of the charity’s founder, a pastor based in Nigeria who was (allegedly) caught on camera slapping a woman accused of being a witch across the face in front of a congregation; allegations that church members were encouraged to recruit vulnerable people into the church so they would contribute to the charity financially.”
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