The Synagogue Church of All Nations, SCOAN, has closed it’s defence in the collapsed building trial at Igbosere High Court.
The church closed it’s defence after the cross examination of their last witness by the prosecution.
During resumed proceedings, the court heard that mode of collapse of SCOAN Guest House negated the characteristics of collapsed building with structural defects.
Professor of structural engineering, Patrick Nwankwo stated this while being crossed examined by the Lagos State Director of Public Prosecution, Mr Yhaqub Oshoala.
Nwankwo, a Professor of Structural Engineering and Construction, an expert witness brought in at the instance of Engr Oladele Ogundeji who is facing trial for the collapsed building before Justice Lateef Lawal-Akapo.
Asked by counsel to SCOAN, a Senior Advocate, Olalekan Ojo, what he meant by “the type of collapse”, the Professor explained that if defective or substandard materials were used, the mode of collapse would be ductile and gradual.
He shared in the views of the prosecution that a building with defective structural and substandard materials could lead to collapse.
He however maintained that different mode of types of collapse is dependent on types of materials used.
“This is not the case with the collapsed Synagogue church guest house. This building has about 12 frames. The frames, beams, columns would not all have collapsed at the same time. It can only happen by some external forces,” he said.
While further responding to questions from the DPP, Professor Nwankwo said he was motivated to conduct investigation on the collapsed guest house by its unusual mode of collapse for professional and academic concern.
Prof Nwankwo, who said he conducted the investigation by visiting the place, asking questions, examining the various investigations already carried out and the technical drawings on the building stated that his reports submitted to the court was thorough in the integrity of the profession.
The professor noted that he was not involved in the previous enquiries by Corona Inquest on the collapsed Synagogue church building.
Prof Nwankwo, who is also a Master in Orion design Software operation, said what was earlier interpreted from the Orion output was completely wrong because there’s usually a print out of whatever is rejected by Orion software which was not the case here.
“I used the same 750mm by 225mm and it was not rejected by same Orion design Software as can be seen evidentially in my report.”
Earlier in the cross examination by defence counsels, Mr Oluseye Diyan, Chief Efe Akpofure SAN and Mrs Titi Akinlawon SAN, Nwankwo stated that there were appropriate international standard codes guiding construction industry and he had examined the collapsed Synagogue church building’s structural elements, its design and construction works meeting all the required appropriate codes.
The presiding judge, Justice Lateef Lawal-Akapo adjourned the case to January 24, 2020.
