Synagogue Building Collapse Inquest Begins

The Coroners inquest into the September 12, Synagogue Church Building Collapse began today at the Lagos High Court premises in Ikeja.

Magistrate Oyetade Komolafe who presided over the inaugural sitting of the inquest today, assured the parties who turned up that the court would be fair as it was only on a fact finding mission and not out prosecute anyone.

The Synagogue Church of all nations and its Founder, Prophet TB Joshua was represented at the inquest by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr Lateef Fagbemi & Mr Olalekan Ojo while Mr Akingbolahan Adeniran represented the Lagos State Government.

The Nigeria Police, Nigerian Red Cross and the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) were also represented by lawyers at the inquest today.

In his address to the lawyers and witnesses, Magistrate Komolafe outlined the procedure that would be adopted in the fact finding process. He urged all parties to front load and submit their testimonies, list of witnesses and other documents to the courts registry before sending same to other parties.

The Magistrate also asked members of the public with useful information that would assist the inquest to come forward and testify

He pleaded with the families of the South African victims to make available their blood samples to the pathologists for easy identification of the victims even as he urged the South African Embassy in Nigeria to send its representatives to the inquest.

The Magistrate has however warned that a summon would be issued on any witness who fails to appear before the tribunal to make presentation.

Channels Television’s judiciary correspondent, Shola Soyele reports that the Coroner and the parties to the inquest have agreed and made plans to visit the synagogue church on Thursday to see the scene of the incident.

Outside the court, a few synagogue church members, some physically challenged staged a peaceful protest. They carried placards bearing inscriptions asking that their prophet be left alone.

On the 26th of September, the Lagos State Government had set up the coroners inquest to ascertain the cause of the Synagogue church building collapse which left about 115 people dead.

Most of the victims of the collapsed building were of South Africa nationality.