TB Joshua Church Collapse: coroner's inquest postponed amidst legal fireworks

It was a day of legal fireworks on Friday, December 5, 2014 at the resumed sitting of the coroner's inquest into the collapsed building belonging to The Synagogue, Church Of All Nations.

Counsel to The SCOAN, Olalekan Ojo and counsel to the Lagos State Government, Gbolahan Akinbobola, argued the tenability of the application before the coroner praying for a temporary stay of proceedings pending the determination of a suit filed before the high court seeking to prevent the coroner from exceeding its jurisdiction by dabbling into extraneous areas that were not relevant to the original motive of the inquest.

Armed with generous textual references, Mr. Ojo drove home his argument that since the coroner's court was a lower court, it should temporarily stay proceedings pending the outcome of the suit at the high court. In a passionate voice, Barrister Ojo, reiterated the fact that the coroner has gone beyond its jurisdiction, leaving the primary cause of the collapse to issues bordering on irrelevance.

He said, "We are not emphasizing the total stay of proceedings but to forsake irrelevant issues and pursue what is relevant. Calling on the man of God to appear in person, asking the television stations to appear amongst other things are uncalled for. We should concentrate on the primary cause of the collapse".

Even though counsel to the Lagos State Government, Mr. Akinbobola, had tried to puncture Mr. Ojo's arguments, it was very obvious from side comments within the court room that the position of Mr. Ojo was too superior to be ignored.

Magistrate Oyetade Komolafe once again reiterated his willingness to respect the rule of law by allowing the high court to rule on the suit before carrying out further actions on the inquest. In a sober tone, the magistrate requested that Ojo should give him copies of those law reports he cited and said he can't go on with the coroner until Wednesday, December 10, 2014 when he will give a ruling based on the facts presented to him today: "The proceeding today has really separated the boys from the men as no counsel could respond to Mr. Ojo's submission".

Meanwhile, more and more solidarity has continued to be shown to Prophet T.B. Joshua and his ministry by groups who stormed the premises of the Ikeja High Court to register their support. A South Africa based evangelist urged the Nigerian press to seek answers to pertinent questions surrounding the strange aircraft that flew over the ill-fated building four times before its collapse.

In a press release, he observed: "We hereby give the Federal Government of Nigeria 72 hours ultimatum to supply adequate information and details of the aircraft (that hovered over the building four times before it collapsed) or else this issue will be presented at the International Court of Law at The Hague for hearing."

As it stands now the waiting game continues until the magistrate gives a ruling on Wednesday next week.

Nosa Osazuwa was present during the Coroner's Inquest