Building collapse: Court grants Synagogue’s engineers N20m bail

Justice Lateef Lawal-Akapo of an Ikeja High Court yesterday granted a N10M bail to the two engineers who supervised the construction of the collapsed six-storey guest house owned by the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN).

Justice Lawal-Akapo, ruling on the bail applications initiated by the contractors through their lawyers, granted them bail in the sum of N10 million with two sureties in like sum.

However, Justice Lawal-Akapo, said that one of the sureties must be a civil servant at grade level 14 in the Lagos State civil service.

In addition, the trial judge told the court that the second surety must provide evidence of tax payment for three years and must also swear to an affidavit of means.

He also ordered the contractors to submit their travel documents to the Chief Registrar of the Lagos High Court.

According to the judge, the addresses of the sureties must be duly verified by the Lagos State Head of Service (HoS).

Justice Lawal-Akapo before the bail was granted to the duo , made a declaration that he was not unmindful of the presumption on innocence of the defendants until proven otherwise.

He also explained that bail is not to be used to punish an accused person, but to make an accused face his trial.

It would be recalled that the Registered Trustees of the SCOAN, and the two engineers who supervised the construction of the collapsed six-storey guest house owned by the church and their companies were arraigned before Justice Lawal-Akapo.

They were charged after the judge threw out the separate applications filed by the defendants through their lawyers who had prayed the court for proceedings to be stayed pending their appeal at the Court of Appeal.
Also, the two engineers, Oladele Ogundeji and Akinbela Fatiregun were ordered by the court to be remanded in Kirikiri Maximum Prison.
The Lagos State Government had late last year slammed a 111-count criminal charge against the trustees of the church, the two engineers, and their companies – Hardrock Construction and Engineering Company and Jandy Trust Limited – for their involvement in the September 12, 2014 collapse of a six-storey guest house belonging to the church, which led to the death of 116 persons.

The criminal charge against the defendants touches on criminal negligence, manslaughter and failure to obtain a building permit.

The judge adjourned further hearing in the matter till May 19, 2016 for continuation of trial

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