Collapsed Building: Ambode Vows To Prosecute T.B Joshua

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Prophet T.B Joshua

By Alaba Ajibade

The governor of Lagos state, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, has vowed to prosecute Prophet Temitope Balogun (TB) Joshua’s Synagogue Church of All Nation (SCOAN) and other indicted persons in line with the recommendation of the Coroner’s inquest carried out on the collapsed church building.

The governor said he would enforce the coroner’s verdict in consonance with the rule of law and coroner law 2007.

In a statement signed by Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr. Habib Aruna, Ambode warned that his government will uphold and enforce the sanctity of the law in the state, just as he urged residents of the state to also respect the rule of law.

“His Excellency hereby reiterates his Government’s commitment to uphold and enforce the sanctity of the law in the state and calls on all Lagos resident to respect the rule of law,” the statement said.

On July 7, 2015, the Coroner in Lagos recommended the prosecution of SCOAN and the contractor responsible for the collapsed 6-storey that killed over 100 worshippers of the church on September 12, 2014 Synagogue.

To this end, he said the Coroner’s verdict of 7th July 2015 made a number of recommendations which the state government will act upon accordingly.

It said the state government applied the coroner’s inquest in line with the provisions of the law.

“The government will cause the prosecution of the contractor, Engineer Akinbela Fatiregun of Hardrock Engineering Company Limited and Structural Engineer, Oladele Ogundeji who constructed and supervised the collapsed building respectively at the Synagogue Church of All Nations for professional negligence”.

Ambode said that the state government will also prosecute the Synagogue Church of All Nations for neglecting to obtain building approval before commencing the building, contrary to the provisions of the Urban and Regional Planning and Development Law 2010.

The Governor, therefore, appealed to residents of the state to always allow emergency responders perform their duties of emergency as they are trained for this purpose.

“He enjoined land owners within the state who intend to embark on construction to employ the services of qualified and competent engineers who must obtain building permit before construction,” the statement added.