T.B Joshua Fail To Appear Before Inquest

The founder of the Synagogue Church of All
Nations (SCOAN) Prophet Temitope Joshua
yesterday failed to appear before the ongoing
coroner inquest which is investigating the
circumstances surrounding the collapse of a
six-storey building belonging to the church.
The contractor of the collapsed building who
was also summoned by the inquest to testify
alongside the church founder also failed to
show up.
Giving reasons why Prophet Joshua and the
contractor failed to turn up in court, counsel to
the church, Olalekan Ojo informed the coroner
that both men were yet to be personally
served with the witness summons.
It would be recalled that the Lagos State
government had on September 26, set up the
coroner inquest presided over by Chief
Magistrate Oyetade Komolafe to ascertain the
cause of the collapsed six-story building,
which left about 116 people dead.
Most of the victims of the collapsed building
located within the premises of the church were
from South Africa.
Two weeks ago, the coroner, Magistrate
Oyetade Komolafe, had summoned both men
to appear before the inquest to give
information on what they know about the
collapse with a view to helping the inquest
determine the cause.
The coroner had ordered the court baliff to
serve the witness summons to appear on both
men.
Ojo, who said he is not representing Prophet
TB Joshua but just volunteering the
information to the coroner to prevent public
misconception, insisted that the prophet
respected the court but was not present
because he had not been personally served
with the summons as that is the requirements
of the law.
The lawyer also explained that the prophet
being the chief mourner has not been available
because he was contacting the families of
victims who lost their lives in the September 12
incident.
The counsel to the church also said that the
collapsed building contractor had not been
served because the court did not have his
contact information.