SYNAGOGUE : WITNESS FAULTS AGENCY’ S REPORT ON COLLAPSED GUEST HOUSE

A geo - technical engineer, Mr Joseph Folayan today faulted the report of the Lagos State Material Testing.
Agency , which claimed that the collapsed guest house within the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN ) was caused by defects on its foundation .
Folayan made this known while testifying before the Lagos State Coroner ’ s Court sitting in Ikeja, presided over by Chief Magistrate Oyetade Komolafe .

The inquest was set up by the Lagos State Government to investigate the Sept . 12 , 2014 building collapse which killed 116 people .
The agency had claimed in its Structural Integrity Test on the six - storey building that it collapsed as a result of a defective foundation .
However , Folayan , who was led in evidence by SCOAN ’ s counsel , Mr Olalekan Ojo , maintained that the soil under the foundation of the collapsed building did not fail.
He described the report as assumptions based on his 45 years experience as a geo - technical engineer.
“ As a practising geo - technical engineer with over 45 years
experience , it is my view that the soil under those foundation did not fail .
“ The pad used in the construction did not constitute a failure, ” the witness said .
According to the witness, COREN is the only body that is legally bound to regulate the activities of any engineering practitioner in Nigeria .
He said :” Engineers in the country should sit up so as to forestall any further occurrence of building collapse .
“ There is need to sanitise the engineering profession because it has been infiltrated. ”
Meanwhile , the court admitted as exhibits , some documents tendered by the Lagos State Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Mr Olutoye
Ayinde .
The documents included the approval plan for the main auditorium of the church as well as a general survey of the entire complex .
Ojo , however , objected to their admission arguing that they were not of the collapsed building thus irrelevant to the inquest .
According to him, SCOAN ’ s position has always been that it was processing permit for the building when the unfortunate incident occurred .
However , the coroner, Mr Oyetade Komolafe , held that the documents should be admitted as Exhibits 035 to 040.
The matter was adjourned till April 8 for further hearing