Coroner: TB Joshua ‘can be arrested’
Oyetade Komolafe, a magistrate and the coroner in charge of the investigation of the collapsed building at the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN), has warned T.B Joshua, a prophet and the founder of the church, that he would be arrested if he fails to honour the coroner’s summon.
Expressing dissatisfaction with the absence of Joshua in all the sittings of the inquest since October 13 when it began, Komolafe summoned the pastor on October 24, giving him until November 5 to physically appear before the court to testify.
“The court has said that for the purpose of what we are doing; he should come,” Komolafe said.
“He should come and tell us what he knows. He cannot not sit there and be sending words to us.”
Jude Nnadi, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) who led the legal team of the church, said since Joshua did not witness the incident, there was no need summoning him.
But the coroner stood his ground, dismissing the argument of the lawyer. During the sitting of the inquest on Wednesday, Komolafe reiterated that Joshua had no reason to stay away from the court.
“The counsel should advise the prophet to come. The church is not on trial. Nobody is above the law. The court will be fair to all,” he said.
“If he is an institution with immunity, the court will not even go there. If the man refuses to come, he can be arrested… He has to appear. We summoned the prophet. We summoned the contractors.”
A guest house within the premises of the church collapsed on September 12, killing 116 people, mainly South Africans and injuring several others.
Pastor T B Joshua should honour the invitation of the court and not to create a wrong impression that he is above the law. The court may like to ask if SCOAN has a Tenders Board, who heads it and the criteria used in picking the contractor handling the collapsed project. It could as well be that Magistrate Komolafe wants to meet the ‘miracle’ worker one on one.
imagine a senior advocate arguing that since his client did not witness the collapse there was no need for him to testify at the inquest. So only eye witnesses can give relevant info at an inquest ? What a vacuous SAN !!
He no doubt believes the “prophet” is above the law !!!
TB Joshua is not bigger than the Law, he should show humility and humble himself, after all the blame is on him. Why on earth would you be building additional floors on a building that does not have such foundation capacity. He murdered does people out of carelessness an greed. In fact TB Joshua should be arrested. Sooner or later the truth concerning these people would b revealed