Appeal Court to rule in Synagogue’s building collapse case

The Court of Appeal, Lagos Division, has reserved judgment in
the appeal emanating from the criminal charges filed against the
two engineers that built the Synagogue Church of All Nations’
six-storey building that collapsed in 2014.

The defendants are challenging the March 8, 2018 ruling of the
Lagos State High Court, which dismissed the no-case submission that
they filed in response to the charges.

The SCOAN building in the Ikotun area of Lagos collapsed on
September 12, 2014, killing 116 persons, including 85 South
Africans.

The Lagos State Government charged the engineers – Messrs
Oladele Ogundeji and Akinbela Fatiregun – and their companies –
Hardrock Construction and Engineering Company and Jandy Trust
Limited – with 110 counts of manslaughter.

The Registered Trustees of SCOAN were also charged with one
count of building without approval.

The state said the defendants violated Section 222 of the
Criminal Law of Lagos State 2011 as well as Section 75 of the Urban
and Regional Planning Law of Lagos State 2010.

But upon their arraignment before Justice Lateef Lawal-Akapo of
the Lagos State High Court on April 19, 2016, the defendants
pleaded not guilty.

The state went on to open its case and eventually concluded in
October 2017.

In response to the prosecution’s case, the defendants, through
their lawyers – Chief Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), Chief Efe Akpofure
(SAN), Mrs Titi Akinlawon (SAN) and Mr Olalekan Ojo (SAN) – filed
no-case submissions.

The lawyers contended that the prosecution failed to establish a
prima facie case against their clients, adding that there was
nothing in the evidence led by the prosecution to warrant their
clients to proceed into any defence.

They urged the court to discharge them and let them go.

But in his March 8, 2018 ruling, Justice Lawal-Akapo dismissed
their no-case submission and directed them to open their
defence.

Displeased with the lower court’s ruling, the defendants went on
appeal.

Having heard the appeal, a three-man appellate court panel
presided over by Justice Abraham Georgewill, reserved its judgment
to a date to be communicated to the parties.