The Coroner Court investigating the collapse of a guest house within the Synagogue Church Of All Nations, SCOAN, was yesterday urged to stay further proceedings pending the determination of the application filed by Prophet Temitope Joshua, founder of the church.
Joshua had through his lawyer, Mr Olalekan Ojo filed an application before the Lagos State Coroner, Mr Oyetade Komolafe, asking it to suspend further actions based on his invitation to appear to give evidence before the inquest.
He told the court that further proceedings would jeopardize his motion pending before Justice Lateefat Okunnu of an Ikeja High Court where he had sought the higher court’s judicial review of the coroner’s proceedings.
At the resumed hearing of the coroner yesterday, his lawyer told the court that his inability to serve the state government has delayed the hearing of the case before the High Court, maintaining that he only served the application on the Lagos State Government.
Ojo said:” The motion is not ripe for hearing having not been served on all the relevant parties. It is our position that it is pending but not ripe for arguments.”
However, Mr Femi Adamson, who represented the state government, confirmed that they had been served but they are yet to file their reply.
The coroner magistrate therefore said for the dispensation of justice, the application before the high court should be dispensed off before continuing proceedings.
He therefore, urged the witnesses who were present in the court to go till when they will be called upon. He apologised to them for the inconveniences.
He directed Ojo to serve the application on the relevant parties to enable them file their responses on time.
He also mentioned that the church had submitted the name and address of the contractor which handled the collapsed building, Hardrock Construction and Engineering Company, to the inquest.
Further hearing was adjourned till December 5.
