by Nosa Osazuwa | Citizen Reporter
On Wednesday 10th December 2014, the presiding magistrate of the coroner court investigating the cause of death of persons in the Synagogue building collapse, Oyetade Komolafe, submitted that the court lacked the powers to hear the application filed by The Synagogue Church Of All Nations (SCOAN), through its lawyer, Olalekan Ojo, praying the court to stay proceedings pending the determination of the same application by the high court.
Magistrate Komolafe, citing various examples, observed that the coroner’s court was purely a fact-finding one that was not intended to witch-hunt any group or individual. He thereby dismissed the application and ruled that proceedings would continue on Friday, December 12, 2014: “I have said it several times that this court is purely on a fact-finding mission and is. not intended to prosecute anybody or group. We are all here to find out the real cause(s) of the death of persons in the building collapse. I wonder why it being painted to look as if we are trying to prosecute anybody. The coroner’s court id different from the regular court and would not entertain any application that is not within its powers to do so. For this reason, the application brought by the counsel to The SCOAN is hereby dismissed. We will reconvene on Friday, December 12, 2014 to continue proceedings”
Meanwhile prominent Nigerians have continued to storm the court premises in solidarity with The SCOAN and its Founder, Prophet T.B. Joshua. At least three traditional rulers were sighted within the court room. They included: BaaleOnipetesi, HRH. Chief Olusegun Akinola, BaaleAnifowose, HRH. Chief KayodeOkeyemi II and the Ologudu of Oguduland, HRM. Oba WaidiAyinlaFashola.
Many other groups were seen carrying placards and calling on the Federal Government as well as the Lagos State Government to leave Prophet T.B. Joshua alone and dig for the real cause of the building collapse. Prominent among these groups was the Osun State Youth Forum and a coalition of other youths from the entire federation.
Nosa Osazuwa, a citizen reporter based in Lagos, Nigeria was present during the last two sessions of The Synagogue Inquest.
