By Abdulwahab Abdulah, Bartholomew Madukwe, Victor Ogunsola & Echewodo Jane

LAGOS—In another bid to halt the invitation of Prophet Temitope Joshua, founder of Synagogue Church of All Nations, SCOAN, to appear before the ongoing coroner’s inquest into the collapsed guest house within the church, an appeal to dismiss the judgement of a state High Court has been filed before the Court of Appeal, Lagos.

This was disclosed yesterday at the inquest’s proceeding, as the Coroner judge, Magistrate Oyetade Komolafe, asked one of the counsels for SCOAN and Joshua to choose a date for their witness (Joshua) to appear before the court.

“In view of the judgement of the high court, pick a date for your witness (Joshua) to come. Ordinarily, today I would have ordered for his arrest but I will not do that,” Magistrate Komolafe said.

Speaking on behalf of SCOAN and Joshua’s legal team, Mr. Oluseun Abimbola, told the court that an appeal was filed before the Court of Appeal, Lagos, on March 11, 2015, challenging the judgement of Justice Lateefa Okunnu that dismissed their application against the Coroner Inquest and Magistrate Komolafe.

State Counsel, Mr Akingbolahan Adeniran, however, informed the court that “we are aware there was a notice of appeal on N25,000 cost. To the best of knowledge, I am not aware of any notice of appeal as regard to Justice Okunnu”.

Subsequently, counsel to SCOAN and its founder, Abimbola, gave Magistrate Komolafe a copy of the appeal.

Nevertheless, Magistrate Komolafe reiterated that he does not want the Coroner Inquest proceeding to exceed this month (March), saying “on that note, we will gather here tomorrow.”

It will be recalled that Justice Okunnu of a Lagos High Court in Ikeja, in her judgement, held that the application filed against the Coroner Inquest was premature and lacking in merit.

According to Justice Okunnu: “Sections 26 and 27 of the Coroner’s System Law of Lagos State 2007, empowered the coroner to summon any witness to assist him in his fact-finding mission. There was nothing unusual in the summons extended to Joshua.”

Meanwhile, during Thursday’s proceeding, Vice President of the Regulation and Control Committee of the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria, Victor Oyenuga, explained that the beams of the collapsed building were not deep enough and the columns were not robust enough to carry the load.