By Lukman Olabiyi
Justice Lateef Lawal-Akapo of the Lagos State High Court, Ikeja ,has adjourned adoption of final written addresses in charge slamed on the Registered Trustees of the Synagogue Church of All Nations( SCOAN), engineers and firms over collapsed building, till May 27.
The court had earlier adjourned till yesterday for adoption of written addresses in case but could not proceed.
According to the court the adjournment was sequel to work load of cases before it.
At the resumed hearing on Thursday, the court was formally briefed and served a copy of the death certificate of the 5th defendant, Engr. Akinbola Fatiregun, one of the engineers earlier released on bail but who died in October, 2020.
Lagos State Government had charged SCOAN over the building collapse which killed 116 worshippers of the church on September 12, 2014.
The defendants left in the suit are now Engineer Oladele Ogundeji and companies; Hardrock Construction and Engineering Company and Jandy Trust Limited.
They are facing trial on 110-count charge of involuntary manslaughter, while the Registered Trustees of SCOAN were charged with building without approval.
The Lagos State Directorate of Public Prosecutions accused the defendants of violating Section 75 of the Urban and Regional Planning Law of Lagos State, 2010, as well as Section 222 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.
They were arraigned on April 19, 2016, but they pleaded not guilty.
While fixing the new date for adoption of written addresses in the case, the judge appealed to the counsel to bear with him, said, “It is not convenient for me to take the adoption of final written addresses because of the workload in this court.
Consequently Justice Lawal-Akapo, adjourned the case until May 27th, 2021 for adoption and final written addresses.
In December 20, 2019, the defendants closed their case, after the cross examination of their last witness by the prosecution.
The state had 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.