Court disallows prosecution witness from testifying

The schedule trial of trustees of the Synagogue Church of all Nation (SCOAN) and the two engineers involved in the construction of the ‎collapsed six-storey building that left over 116 dead could not go on as slated before Justice Lateef Lawal-Akapo of a Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja.

A prosecution witness scheduled to testify in the matter was
disallowed by the trial court.

The SCOAN Trustees, the two engineers, Messrs. Oladele Ogundeji and Akinbela Fatiregun and their companies, Hardrock Construction and Engineering Company and Jandy Trust Limited were last month arraigned on 111-count charge for alleged involuntary manslaughter, gross negligence and or reckless disregard for human life.

Their offence is contrary to Section 222 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2011.

At the resume hearing yesterday, the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) Mrs. Idowu Alakija informed the court that one of the eight prosecution witnesses, Adebayo Musiliu Olayinka was in court and was ready to testify.

Opposing her submission, the lead defence counsel, Chief Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), argued that the witness statement was not forwarded to the defence team as stipulated by law.