TRADITIONAL RULERS STORM COURT TO SUPPORT T.B. JOSHUA AS SYNAGOGUE INQUEST PROCEEDS DESPITE HIGH COURT APPLICATION

On Wednesday 10th December 2014, the presiding
magistrate of the coroner court investigating the cause
of death of persons in the Synagogue building collapse,
Oyetade Komolafe, submitted that the court lacked the
powers to hear the application filed by The Synagogue
Church Of All Nations (SCOAN), through its lawyer,
Olalekan Ojo, praying the court to stay proceedings
pending the determination of the same application by
the high court.
Magistrate Komolafe, citing various examples, observed that
the coroner's court was purely a fact-finding one that was
not intended to witch-hunt any group or individual. He
thereby dismissed the application and ruled that
proceedings would continue on Friday, December 12, 2014:
"I have said it several times that this court is purely on a
fact-finding mission and is not intended to prosecute
anybody or group. We are all here to find out the real cause
(s) of the death of persons in the building collapse. I wonder
why it being painted to look as if we are trying to prosecute
anybody.
The coroner's court id different from the regular court and
would not entertain any application that is not within its
powers to do so. For this reason, the application brought by
the counsel to The SCOAN is hereby dismissed. We will
reconvene on Friday, December 12, 2014 to continue
proceedings".
Meanwhile prominent Nigerians have continued to storm
the court premises in solidarity with The SCOAN and its
Founder, Prophet T.B. Joshua. At least three traditional
rulers were sighted within the court room. They included:
BaaleOnipetesi, HRH. Chief Olusegun Akinola,
BaaleAnifowose, HRH. Chief KayodeOkeyemi II and the
Ologudu of Oguduland, HRM. Oba WaidiAyinlaFashola.
Many other groups were seen carrying placards and calling
on the Federal Government as well as the Lagos State
Government to leave Prophet T.B. Joshua alone and dig for
the real cause of the building collapse. Prominent among
these groups was the Osun State Youth Forum and a
coalition of other youths from the entire federation