Faith healing event ends with one death and 16 rushed to hospital

One man died and sixteen others were rushed to hospital after they collapsed at a faith healing event run by a controversial Nigerian televangelist. The Higher Life Conference, which also takes place in Britain and the United States, is staged by Pastor Chris Oyakhilome, who can reputedly perform miracles such as healing the paralysed.



An estimated 150,000 people, among them children and terminally ill patients, travelled to the Greenpoint Stadium in Cape Town, Soth Africa, to attend the three-day Pentecostal event over the weekend.

"Pastor Chris", one of Nigeria's most wealthy evangelist preachers with a global following of millions, is believed to be worth as much as £30 million. Simon Williams, a 56-year-old pastor from nearby Paarl, was taken from hospital intensive care to the event by his family. He collapsed and died from renal failure inside the stadium.



Dr Wayne Smith, head of disaster medicine for Cape Town, said he treated about 30 patients in the stadium's medical centre and sent 16 to hospital. "Some of them had travelled long distances to get there, they had ongoing medical issues and were in a lot of pain," he said.