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Synagogue Building Collapse: Coroner’s Inquest To Begin October 13

The Coroner’s inquest into the death of over 80 persons persons in a collapsed building in the premises of the Synagogue Church Of All Nations … Continue reading Synagogue Building Collapse: Coroner’s Inquest To Begin October 13


Synagogue

building collapseThe Coroner’s inquest into the death of over 80 persons persons in a collapsed building in the premises of the Synagogue Church Of All Nations at Ikotun will commence at the Coroner Court on Monday October 13.

The Corona Court is within the premises of the High Court in Ikeja.

The Lagos State government had instituted a coroner’s inquest under the Lagos State Coroner’s System law No. 7 of 2007 for the purpose of establishing the cause and manner of the collapsed building incident of Friday, September 12.

In a statement by the Lagos State Judiciary, some media organisations which include the News Agency of Nigeria, P.M. News, Vanguard, Channels Tv, Television Continental, Daily Independent Newspaper, The Nation and the Punch Newspaper are expected to present themselves and give evidence at the inquest.

Some other expected organisations and bodies include, the Lagos State Building Control Agency, Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development Alausa Ministry of Works, Ministry of Tourism & Intergovernmental Relations, Office of the Surveyor-General of Lagos State and Prophet T.B. Joshua, founder of the Synagogue Church of All Nations.

The case will be handled by the Coroner, O.A. Komolafe which had mandated his registrar to schedule the expected organisations, bodies and persons for appearance.

In the statement, the judiciary requested that members of the public with evidence material that will assist the court in its findings should indicate their interest to tender it by contacting the registrar at the coroner’s court before the hearing commence by 9:00am local time.

The inquest was instigated by the State Attorney General & Commissioner for Justice, Mr Ade Ipaye, under section 15 of the coroner law which provides that a coroner shall hold an inquest whenever he is informed that the death of a deceased person lying within his coroner district was as a result of a violent, unnatural or suspicious occurrence.

Mr Ipaye highlighted that the coroner had extensive powers to investigate the cause and circumstances of death and bring his findings and recommendations to the attention of appropriate authorities.

“He has all the powers of a magistrate to summon and compel the attendance of witnesses, including medical examiners, and require them to give evidence, produce documents or present other relevant materials,” he said.

The State Attorney General further explained that the law required the verdict of a coroner as certified in writing to be forwarded to the state attorney general and such verdict may form the basis of criminal prosecutions depending on the evidence collected’.