Lagos slams 111 charges against Synagogue, others

The much anticipated arraignment of the Trustees of Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN) and other defendants over the September 12, 2014 building collapse in Lagos which claimed 116 lives was stalled yesterday. The planned arraignment before Justice Lateef Lawal-Akapo at Lagos High Court was stalled owing to the non-availability of three defendants in court. The government, however, preferred 111-count charge, bordering on involuntary manslaughter and failure to obtain building approval, against the accused persons. The offences were contrary to Section 41 of the Urban and Regional Planning Laws of Lagos State 2010 and Section 222 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State 2011.

The Lagos State Government had filed criminal charges against the Synagogue Trustees, Hardrock Construction, Jadny Trust Limited, and two engineers; Oladele Ogundeji and Akinbela Fatiregun after a coroner indicted them over the building collapse. Ogundeji and Fatiregun were the two engineers who supervised the construction of the building.

At yesterday’s proceedings, the Registered Trustees of the church, which the Senior Pastor, Prophet T.B. Joshua is a member was represented by a member of the Trustees, while others were absent. When proceedings commenced, Justice Lawal- Akapo observed that the 3rd, 4th and 5th defendants were absent in court.

Explaining the reason for their absence, lawyer to the 1st and 2nd defendants, Seun Abimbola, informed the court that apart from his two clients, other defendants in the suit have not been served. He argued that the prosecution has no excuse not to serve the defendants.

“The state cannot say that they don’t have valid addresses because they were served in previous proceedings. The engineers, Oladele Ogundeji and Akinbela Fatiregun were even arrested by the Police and charged before a Magistrate Court where they were later released on bail,” Abimbola said. However, in his response, Lagos State Attorney General, Adeniji Kazeem, confirmed that only two of the five defendants have been served due to invalid addresses of the 3rd to 5th defendants. According to him, the state is encountering problem verifying the addresses of the three defendants.

The presiding judge, Justice Lawal-Akapo, however, directed the defence lawyer to help furnish the prosecution with a valid addresses of the 3rd to 5th defendants within 72 hours to enable the prosecution effect service on them before the next adjourned date. The matter has been adjourned till December 11.