TB Joshua Challenges Summons For Building Collapse Inquest Lawyers for Nigerian preacher TB Joshua said Thursday they had mounted a legal challenge against a coroner who has ordered him to testify about a fatal building collapse at his Lagos megachurch. Joshua has been summonsed twice to give evidence at an inquest examining the circumstances of the September 12 tragedy in which 116 people were killed, but failed to appear on both occasions. The latest no show by the popular televangelist on Thursday angered coroner Oyetade Komolafe, who said he would order his arrest. But the pastor’s lawyer, Olalekan Ojo, told reporters after the hearing: “We have gone to the high court to challenge the jurisdiction of the coroner to issue a witness summons. “The coroner has unconsciously exceeded his jurisdiction in that he has started inquiring into matters that are not causative of deaths.” Komolafe was furious that Joshua, known to his followers as “The Prophet” or “The Man of God”, was not present for the start of proceedings on Thursday after failing to appear on November 5. On that occasion, Ojo said Joshua had been “unavoidably absent” and failed to receive the summons. “We don’t want the impression to be created that The Prophet is avoiding the court,” he said. On Thursday, Komolafe said: “Any of the witnesses who is not in court today will be arrested. I think the court has been lenient enough.” – ‘Milk of human kindness’ – Joshua, who counts presidents and powerful politicians from across Africa among his flock, has claimed the collapse was caused by a mysterious aircraft seen “hovering” over the building at the time.
Posted on: Fri, 21 Nov 2014 10:43:02 +0000
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