Synagogue Tragedy: Joshua Asks Court to Stay Proceedings on His Invitation to Appear

04 Dec 2014

 Founder of the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN), Prophet T.B. Joshua

By Akinwale Akintunde

The founder of the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN), Prophet Temitope Joshua, has asked the coroner’s inquest investigating the circumstances which led to the collapse of the six-storey guest house belonging to the church to stay further proceedings on the inquest.

Joshua, in the application filed on Wednesday by his counsel, Mr. Olalekan Ojo, is also asking the inquest presided over by Chief Magistrate Oyetade Komolafe to suspend further actions on his invitation to appear to give evidence before the inquest pending the determination of his suit against Komolafe before Justice Lateefat Okunnu of an Ikeja High Court.

Ojo had on behalf of the church and Joshua filed a similar application marked ID/188MJR/2014 before Justice Okunnu, asking the high court to declare that his invitation to appear as a witness before the coroner was a breach of his right to fair hearing, as no case had been established against his person before the coroner.

The inquest was inaugurated by the Lagos State Government under the state Coroner’s System Law No.7 of 2007 to investigate the cause and circumstances resulting in the death of 166 people following the collapse of the six-storey guest house on September 12, and bring its findings and recommendations to the appropriate authorities.

At the resumed proceedings, Ojo told the court that he had only served the application on the Lagos State Government, adding that it was not ripe for hearing since other parties had not been served.

“The motion is not ripe for hearing having not been served on all the relevant parties. It is our position that it is pending but not ripe for arguments,” Ojo said.

Responding, Mr. Femi Adamson, representing Lagos State Government, confirmed that they had been served but had not filed their reply.

Following the development, the coroner said it was proper to dispense with the application first before continuing with taking of evidence from other witnesses.

He apologised to the witnesses who were already in court that the inquest had to adjourn to enable the lawyers do their jobs.

Komolafe therefore directed Ojo to serve the application on the relevant parties to enable them file their responses.

He also disclosed that the church had submitted the name and address of the contractor which handled the collapsed building, Hardrock Construction and Engineering Company, to the inquest.

Consequently, the coroner adjourned further hearing till December 5.

 http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/synagogue-tragedy-joshua-asks-court-to-stay-proceedings-on-his-invitation-to-appear/195756/