The latest absence of T.B. Joshua at the inquest sitting on Thursday angered coroner Oyetade Komolafe, who said he would order his arrest
A legal challenge has been mounted by lawyers against the Lagos coroner who ordered founder of Synagogue Church Of All Nations, T.B. Joshua to appear in court and testify about a fatal building collapse at his church premises.
Despite being summoned twice to give evidence at the Synagogue collapse inquest sitting, prophet Joshua failed to show up on both times.
The circumstances surrounding the September 12 tragedy which 116 people were killed and hundreds injured are being investigated by a coroner inquest set up by the Lagos state government.
According to reports, the latest absence at the inquest sitting by the popular televangelist on Thursday angered coroner Oyetade Komolafe, who said he would order his arrest.
But the pastor’s lawyer, Olalekan Ojo, told reporters after the hearing: “We have gone to the high court to challenge the jurisdiction of the coroner to issue a witness summons.
“The coroner has unconsciously exceeded his jurisdiction in that he has started inquiring into matters that are not causative of deaths.”
Komolafe was furious that Joshua, known to his followers as “The Prophet” or “The Man of God”, was not present for the start of proceedings on Thursday after failing to appear on November 5.
On that occasion, Ojo said Joshua had been “unavoidably absent” and failed to receive the summons. “We don’t want the impression to be created that The Prophet is avoiding the court,” he said.
On Thursday, Komolafe said: “Any of the witnesses who is not in court today will be arrested. I think the court has been lenient enough.”
Vanguard reports that, Ojo confirmed that his client had received the latest summons and added that his appearance was conditional on the outcome of the high court challenge.
“The Prophet has respect for the law of the land and will not do anything that will hurt the law,” he said.
“If at the end of the day, it is appropriate for The Prophet to appear he will be in court. We do not intend to abuse the legal process.
“Besides, The Prophet has a milk of human kindness. He is still grieving over the horrendous loss of lives. Coming to court is not proper. It is not a good way of showing respect for the dead.”
There have been calls for Joshua to be prosecuted over the building collapse after the Lagos State authorities suggested it was caused by the illegal addition of extra floors.
But Komolafe has said that the inquest was not a criminal court.
“We are here to find facts, find out what has happened, why, where, when and how so as to prevent a recurrence,” he said on the opening day of the hearing on October 13.
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