TB Joshua fails to appear at trial for criminal negligence that killed 81 South Africans
Category: Lagos News
Nigerian preacher TB Joshua and two contractors facing
trial for criminal negligence over a church building collapse that
killed 116 worshippers failed to appear in court on Monday, prompting
the judge to adjourn the case.
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Prophet TB Joshua, founder of The Synagogue, Church of All Nations. Image by: Malcolm Linton/Liaison |
The case at the Lagos high court followed a coroner's ruling in July
that blamed Joshua's Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN) and two
engineers for the September 12, 2014 tragedy.
81 of the victims were South African.
Coroner
Oyetade Komolafe in his verdict attributed the collapse to structural
failures and said the church should be prosecuted as the six-storey
guesthouse did not have planning permission.
Joshua, who maintains
the collapse was caused by a mysterious "hovering" aircraft seen over
the building beforehand or a controlled explosion, repeatedly failed to
appear at the inquest.
At court on Monday, Joshua was again
absent, as were the two engineers who have called the coroner's verdict
"unreasonable, one-sided and biased".
One member of the church's trustees was present.
The
hearing was told the engineers, who have unsuccessfully tried to obtain
an injunction to prevent their arrest and prosecution, had not been
served with a summons.
Judge Lawal Akapo said he was unhappy at
the defendants' absence and said he would not tolerate any unnecessary
delays of the trial.
"It appears the defendants are not mindful
that this is a criminal proceeding. This is a criminal trial and a
sensitive matter like this one should be given accelerated hearing," he
said.
He directed the defence team to provide the court with the
engineers' addresses within 72 hours and adjourned the case until
December 11.
Joshua, who counts powerful politicians from across
Africa among his flock, is known to followers as "The Prophet" and "The
Man of God".
He is a self-styled faith healer and mystic who also runs a popular evangelical television channel.
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