Charity regulator appoints interim manager…

The Charity Commission has appointed an interim manager to The Kingdom Church GB in South London.

The Commission opened a statutory inquiry into the charity in August 2020 following concerns about the accuracy of information provided to the Commission regarding the charity’s income and expenditure. The inquiry is looking into the trustees’ compliance with their legal duties and management of the charity’s resources and financial affairs, including charity funds potentially being unaccounted for and misapplied.

The regulator has serious ongoing concerns about the charity’s administration, governance, and the financial relationship with its two subsidiary companies, World Conquerors Christian Centres and Kingdom Church. The Commission found the charity does not have a bank account and charity funds have instead been deposited into the charity’s subsidiaries’ bank accounts. The subsidiaries have since been removed from the charity’s control and the inquiry is trying to determine whether this was done lawfully.

As a result, the Commission exercised its powers under the Charities Act 2011 to appoint an interim manager, Virginia Henley of Hewitsons LLP, on 15 February 2021 to conduct a review of the charity and its relationship with these subsidiary companies. Following this initial review, the interim manager will consider the charity’s future operation and viability.

The Commission’s inquiry continues.