Synagogue Collapsed Building: Court Dismisses Church’s ‘No-Case’ Submission

An Igbosere High Court in Lagos on Thursday dismissed the
no-case submission filed by the Registered Trustees of the
Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN) and the two engineers
involved in six-storey building collapse case.

The Lagos State Government had sued the church over the
collapsed of building which killed no fewer than 116 persons in
Sept. 12, 2014.

The engineers – Ms Oladele Ogundeji and Akinbela Fatiregun –
were charged alongside their companies — Hardrock Construction and
Engineering Company and Jandy Trust Ltd.

They are facing 110-count charge of involuntary manslaughter
while the registered trustees of SCOAN were charged with one count
of building without approval.

The Lagos State Directorate of Public Prosecutions stated that
the defendants violated Section 75 of the Urban and Regional
Planning Law of Lagos State 2010 as well as Section 222 of the
Criminal Law of Lagos State 2011.

They were arraigned on April 19, 2016, but they pleaded ‘not
guilty’.

The prosecution subsequently opened its case, called witnesses
and tendered documents to prove the allegations against the
defendants.

However, upon the close of the prosecution’s case in October
2017, the defendants, rather than enter their defence, filed a
‘no-case’ submission, contending that the prosecution failed to
establish a prima facie case against them.

The defence insisted said there was nothing in the evidence by
the prosecution to warrant their client to proceed into any
defence.

They, therefore, urged the court to discharge the
defendants.

However, the prosecution opposed the no-case submission and
argued that the defendants had a case to answer based on the
evidence of all the prosecution witnesses.

The prosecution maintained that a prima facie case had been
established which the defendants had to defend.

At the resumed hearing on Thursday, Justice Lateef Lawal-Akapo,
dismissed the no-case submission filed by the defendants.

He adjourned the case until April 27 for the defence to open its
case.

85 South Africans were among those who died in the mishap while
scores were injured.

An Igbosere High Court in Lagos on Thursday dismissed the
no-case submission filed by the Registered Trustees of the
Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN) and the two engineers
involved in six-storey building collapse case.

The Lagos State Government had sued the church over the
collapsed of building which killed no fewer than 116 persons in
Sept. 12, 2014.

The engineers – Ms Oladele Ogundeji and Akinbela Fatiregun –
were charged alongside their companies — Hardrock Construction and
Engineering Company and Jandy Trust Ltd.

They are facing 110-count charge of involuntary manslaughter
while the registered trustees of SCOAN were charged with one count
of building without approval.

The Lagos State Directorate of Public Prosecutions stated that
the defendants violated Section 75 of the Urban and Regional
Planning Law of Lagos State 2010 as well as Section 222 of the
Criminal Law of Lagos State 2011.

They were arraigned on April 19, 2016, but they pleaded ‘not
guilty’.

The prosecution subsequently opened its case, called witnesses
and tendered documents to prove the allegations against the
defendants.

However, upon the close of the prosecution’s case in October
2017, the defendants, rather than enter their defence, filed a
‘no-case’ submission, contending that the prosecution failed to
establish a prima facie case against them.

The defence insisted said there was nothing in the evidence by
the prosecution to warrant their client to proceed into any
defence.

They, therefore, urged the court to discharge the
defendants.

However, the prosecution opposed the no-case submission and
argued that the defendants had a case to answer based on the
evidence of all the prosecution witnesses.

The prosecution maintained that a prima facie case had been
established which the defendants had to defend.

At the resumed hearing on Thursday, Justice Lateef Lawal-Akapo,
dismissed the no-case submission filed by the defendants.

He adjourned the case until April 27 for the defence to open its
case.

85 South Africans were among those who died in the mishap while
scores were injured.