The Registered Trustees of the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN), alongside its founder, Prophet Temitope Joshua, has informed the Lagos State Coroners Court sitting in Ikeja that it has filed a Notice of Appeal at the Lagos division of the Court of Appeal, against the judgment of Justice Lateefa Okunnu of a Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja.

The revelation came through counsel to SCOAN, Seun Abimbola, while reacting to a request that the counsel should pick a date that the prophet would appear before the Chief Magistrate, Oyetade Komolafe.

Justice Okunnu had thrown out an application instituted by SCOAN, alongside its founder, which had prayed the court to stop the ongoing Coroner’s inquest into the collapsed guest house belonging to the church.

The judge’s reason for the dismissal was that the said application was premature and lacks merit.

Justice Okunnu declared that although the Coroner’s court cannot be sued, Chief Magistrate Komolafe, himself could be sued in his capacity as a Coroner.

The Judge stated further that the court needed to resolve the issue as to whether the Coroner has acted contrary to the rules of natural justice by not granting the applicants a fair hearing, and whether he has exceeded the scope of a coroner’s court.

Justice Okunnu explained that Sections 26 and 27 of the Coroner’s System Law of Lagos State 2007, empower the coroner to summon any witness to assist him in his fact-finding mission, adding that there was nothing unusual in the summons extended to Prophet Joshua.