by Godwin Akanfe

Temitope Joshua, the founder of the Synagogue Church of All Nations, will appear before the Lagos Coroner on Wednesday, November 5 to answer questions regarding the recent collapse of a guest house in the church compound. The Lagos State Coroner, Mr Oyetade Komolafe, announced Joshua’s appearance on Friday at the resumption of the inquest at the Ikeja High Court.

Komolafe said the physical appearance of the church’s founder was important to the inquest, adding that his lawyer, Mr Jude Nnadi SAN, should ensure that he is there. Komolafe also requested that the church provide the list of the people lodged at the collapsed building to the court when the next sitting happens on October 28.

“The court has summoned him, let him come and tell us what he knows. He cannot sit over there and be sending words to us that he cannot come,” Komolafe said, “The court has said that for the purpose of what we are doing that he should come over.”

The contractor in charge of the collapsed building and the police witnesses will also testify on the same day.

Meanwhile, an officer with the Lagos State Fire Service, Mr Musiliu Adebayo, has told the court that the building collapse was not caused by an explosion.

“The number of people rescued would not have been possible if there was an explosion before and immediately after the collapse,” Adebayo said.

A building inside of the compound belonging to the Synagogue Church of All Nations collapsed on September 12. The building, which was originally two stories high was being raised by a few stories. Over a hundred people, mostly South Africans died in the building collapse, and members of the church were reported to have initially prevented rescue efforts from getting off the ground. A YNaija correspondent was attacked in the aftermath of the incident.

YEditor