The coroner investigating the collapse of a guest house at the Synagogue Church of All Nations yesterday ordered that the founder and General Overseer of the church, Prophet Temitope Balogun (TB) Joshua, should appear before it on November 5, 2014.

He is to appear alongside the contractor handling the six-storey building before its collapse on September 12.

Over 115 people died in the incident while several others sustained various degrees of injuries.

The coroner, Magistrate Oyetade Komolafe, stated that the appearance of the church’s founder was important to the assignment of the court.

Arguments by the church’s counsel, Jude Nnadi (SAN), that the appearance of the pastor would not be necessary because he was not an eyewitness, did not dissuade the magistrate as he insisted that Joshua would have to appear.

The magistrate, who said he had heard that Joshua had addressed the press at various times, said the pastor must also appear before the court to give evidence.

“We have heard that he has been addressing the press at various times. Let him come and address the court. The court has summoned him; let him come and tell us what he knows. He cannot sit over there and be sending words to us that he cannot come. The court has said that for the purpose of what we are doing that he should come over,” Komolafe said.

In his testimony, a Chief Operational Officer, Lagos State Fire Service, Musiliu Adebayo, told the court that his observation revealed that the building did not collapse as a result of an explosion.

Adebayo, who said he had 34 years of experience in rescue operation, insisted that there was nothing to suggest that the accident occurred as a result of an explosion.

According to him, “All the bodies recovered were whole and not dismembered or burnt. Also there were no scattered bricks. The floors and pillars were also not shattered; rather, the building had collapsed on top of each other. The collapsed building did not depict any sign of explosion or implosion.”

The coroner’s sitting was adjourned till Tuesday 28 for further hearing.

•Adapted from a Saturday Independent report. Photo shows the collapsed Synagogue Church building. Inset is TB Joshua.

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