The popular Tele Evangelist T.B Joshua of the Synagogue of All Nation Church has askED the Ikeja High Court on Friday to stop the Coroner inquest into the collapsed Guest House in his church premises.
In the Application tagged ID/188MJR/2014, the preacher ask the court to quash the invitation on him to appear as a witness to testify on what lead to the tragedy before the coroner.
Joshua's Lawyer , Mr Olalekan Ojo has ask the Magistrate Mr O.A Komolafe to stop the inquest proceedings pending when the high court reject or uphold his prayer.
Mr Ojo said.“My Lord, most respectfully, we have applied for a judicial review of the proceedings of this honourable court so far. We may be right, we may be wrong, but what we are saying is that this coroner court has been extending and it is still extending its inquisitions into areas outside the statutory jurisdiction of the coroner court. That is our complaint, my Lord.
“And what we are saying is, if the High Court agrees with us to set aside such portions of the proceedings that it adjudges to have been conducted in excess of jurisdiction, it should prohibit the coroner from further acting in excess of its jurisdiction.
“The strict scope of the coroner’s inquest is ascertaining the cause and the manner of death and it would be in the best interest of all of us if the High Court agrees with us.
My Lord, we are also saying that thus court should suspend further proceedings, pending the time when my Lord, honourable Justice Lateefat Okunnu will give her ruling. My Lord has fixed the matter for December 3 and with utmost respect to my Lord, she is an eminent judge that could even deliver the ruling on that day.
“My Lord, our prayer is that my Lord should accord the High Court respect and the dignity, so that your Lordship will not been seen to have taken or to intend to take any further action that might amount to prejudising or preempting the High Court.”
Komolafe responded that he not been served with any court process
Komolafe also added that he was not obliged to suspend sitting till the High Court decision comes, That no one should create impression that the inquest is a trial court, he said that only self restraint and the spirit of fairness that was preventing him from issuing a bench warrant for T.B Joshua for failing to appear before the court.
“Let me give this to you, so that you don’t create the impression to the world that anybody is after anybody, because, in fact, you saw me writing; it is the bench warrant for that man.
“But you see, let me give him a long rope to pull.
“The court cannot be taken for granted and nobody, I repeat, nobody can do that, not even him. I just want you to advise him accordingly.
“I don’t even need to listen to this application, just to tell you that nobody is being prosecuted or being put on trial.
“The point I want to make is that, that fellow, whoever, he is, he is not above the laws of the land and he dare not try it.
“Take that message back to him, that not on earth should he try to rubbish the court and never on earth should he try to use his hand to touch the sword of the state because if he does, he would have himself to blame.
“What I am saying is that Joshua should respect himself and not drag the law of the land into the mud,” he said.
Th court was adjoined by the coroner
NAN
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