Synagogue Engineers Begins ’Manslaughter Trial' On May 23

The scheduled trial of Engineers Oladele Ogundeji and Akinbela Fatiregun, who built the collapsed Synagogue Church Of All Nations’ six-storey building, has been further shifted to Monday, May 23.

Ogundeji and Fatiregun are being prosecuted by the Lagos State Government over the death of the 116 persons killed in the SCOAN building which collapsed on September 12, 2014.

The trial which was earlier slated for Thursday could not proceed as the trial judge, Justice Lateef Lawal-Akapo of a Lagos State High Court in Ikeja, did not sit.

The two engineers alongside their companies – Hardrock Construction and Engineering Company and Jandy Trust Limited – were arraigned on 110 counts of involuntary manslaughter on April 19.

Standing trial along with them are the Registered Trustees of SCOAN, who were charged with the offence of building without the approval of the state.

All the accused persons have pleaded not guilty and the court on March 3, admitted the two engineers to bail in the sum of 10m with two sureties in like sum.

One of the sureties, the judge said, must be a civil servant on not less than Grade Level 14, whose employment status must be confirmed by the Head of Service concerned.

The second surety, the judge said, must own landed property in Lagos State and must be willing to deposit the title document with the court.

The court said the surety must show evidence of three years tax clearance by the state, as well as supply his utility bills and other documents authenticating his residential address.

The judge said the Chief Registrar of the court must verify the suitability of the sureties to stand for the accused persons.

He also ordered the accused person to deposit their passport with the Chief Registrar pending the conclusion of trial.