TB Joshua Files Fresh Application To Stop Trial Over Death Of 116 Persons

Registered trustees of the Synagogue Church Of All Nations, founded by Prophet TB Joshua, on Monday filed another suit seeking to stop the Lagos State government from prosecuting them over the death of 116 persons when a six-storey building collapsed on the premises of the church.

TB-JOSHUA

Lagos State government had filed 111 counts against the registered trustees of the church, two engineers and two companies over the deaths with arraignment scheduled for Tuesday, January 19, 2016 (today) before Justice Lawal-Akapo of the Ikeja High Court.

However, in their fresh action, filed before Justice Kazeem Alogba of Ikeja High Court, they requested an order to stop their proposed arraignment and asked for the record of proceedings of a Lagos State Coroner Court, presided over by Oyetade Komolafe, which indicted them and recommended them for criminal prosecutions.

Komolafe, who conducted an inquest into the mishap which occurred on September 12, 2014, had on July 8, 2015, decided that the building that killed the victims was built without approval, adding that its collapse was due to structural defect.

But the church and its engineers, Oladele Ogundeji and Akinbela Fatiregun, rejected the verdict, describing it as unreasonable and one-sided.

In September 2015, Justice Ibrahim Buba of the Federal High Court in Lagos had dismissed two similar actions filed by the engineers to squash the coroner’s verdict and prevent their arraignment.

When the matter came up on Monday before Justice Alogba, the case adjourned till February 4, 2016, for hearing as Magistrate Komolafe was absent in court and was not represented by any lawyer

Meanwhile, the state government has vowed to challenge the fresh suit, saying it was determined to pursue the issues relating to the matter to a logical conclusion and ensure justice was done.

About Faith Irabor 1042 Articles
Welcome on board!!! Faith Irabor is just like your everyday girl next door with strong survival instincts. Am an International Journalist, Events planner and Blogger whose media journey dates back to June 2002 as a TV presenter with the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) Ile-Ife Osun State while I was having my National Diploma in Mass Communication. I left NTA in 2005 to pursue my B.SC in Mass Communication at the Olabisi Onabanjo University OOU Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State and finished in 2008 before joining one of Nigeria's best investigative Tabloids (National Enquirer Magazine & www.enquirermag.blogspot.com). I am very privileged to be trained by one of the industry's bests, my boss and mentor Mr. Tunde Moshood Jr, the former Editor of the defunct Fame Magazine, Publisher of National Enquirer and president Miss Global Nigeria who taught me everything I know in Journalism especially the investigative aspect which is the fulfilment of being a member of the Fourth Estate of Realm (as we journalists are usually officially addressed). My desire to take my journalism practice beyond the Newspaper & Magazine came from the passion I have derived over the years from investigative journalism as Online Media is the best platform to tell a story or news the very minute it’s at your disposal without wasting time. I promise to serve you nothing but exclusive and interesting news, interviews, events, articles from around the world and please feel free to email me on faith.irabor@faithirabor.com on spotted errors as well as ideas that would make me do better as there is no perfect being anywhere except God. Now scroll up, click on any of the stories and please drop your comment!!!!

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