Foundation of collapsed Synagogue building intact – Witness

A defence witness, Ebenezer Ologuntoye in the ongoing trial of the Registered Trustees of Synagogue Church of All Nations, (SCOAN) and the two engineers that constructed the collapsed building that killed 116 people in Lagos has told a Lagos State High Court in Igbosere that the foundation of the collapsed building did not fail.

Ologuntoye, a geotechnical expert also told the court that findings on the test carried out on the collapsed building revealed that the foundation of the building did not fail and the bearing capability was adequate.

The Lagos State government is prosecuting the church and the engineers, Oladele Ogundeji and Akinbela Fatiregun on a 111 count charges of criminal negligence, manslaughter, and failure to obtain building permit.

116 persons, mostly foreigners on religious tourism to Nigeria, were killed in the tragic incident that occurred on September 12, 2014.

Other defendants in the case are Hardrock Construction and Engineering Company and Jandy Trust Limited.

The Lagos State Directorate of Public Prosecutions said the defendants violated Section 75 of the Urban and Regional Planning Law of Lagos State 2010, as well as Section 222 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2011.

Credit: Leadership