Site of the collapsed Lekki building

The Managing Director of Lekki Gardens Limited. Mr. Richard Nyong alongside four directors and three companies were on Monday arraigned before an Igbosere High Court of Lagos State, south west Nigeria on multiple involuntary manslaughter and failure to obtained necessary building permit for the collapsed building.

Other accused arraigned with Nyong were: Sola Olumofe, Odofin Henry Taiwo, the engineer that supervised the collapsed structures, Omolabake Mortune, and Omotilewa Oluwatosin Joseph. The companies arraigned with them are: Lekki Gardens Estate Limited, Get Too Rich Investment Limited a.K.a. GT Rich Investment Limited, and HT Insight Solution Limited, which were represented by Nyong Robert and Odofin Taiwo respectively. All the accused persons pleaded not guilty to all the six counts charge.

Upon not guilty plea of the accused persons the prosecutor, the Lagos State Attornet-General (AG) and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Kazeem Adeniji, (SAN), told the court that all the accused persons except the second accused, Mr Sola Olomofe, have been cooperating with the prosecution since they were arrested and charged before a Magistrate court.

Adeniji (SAN) also told the court of the second accused bail application and said the prosecution had responded to it therefore, granting of bail is at the Court’s discretion.
However, counsels to other accused persons urged the court to allow the accused persons to continue on the bail earlier granted them by either the Magistrate court or the Nigerian Police.

But lawyer to the second accused, Mr. G. M. O. Oguntade (SAN), pleaded with the court to also allow his client, Olumofe, to enjoy the same bail conditions granted to other accused persons.

Ruling on the submissions of both the prosecution and defence teams, the presiding judge, Justice Cybil Nwaka (Mrs.) said: “In view of the pleas of the first, second, third, four, five, six, seven and eight accuses persons. I will allow the first, third, four, five, six, seven and eight accused persons to continue to enjoy the bail earlier granted them, but I will add that the third, fourth, fifth, sixth to deposit their international passport with the court’s Deputy Chief Registrar within 24 hours”.

In admitting the second accused person, Sola Olumofe, to bail the judge said: “The second accused is granted bail in the sum of N100, 000 with two sureties who are gainfully employed in government establishment and his documentation to be verified by the court’s Deputy Chief Registrar.”

However Justice Nwaka while adjoining till Octber 26 for the trial of the accused persons to commence ordered that the second accused person be remanded in Prison’s custody pending the perfection of his bail conditions.

Lagos State government in a charge number LD/3808c/2017, filed before the court alleged in the statement of offence that the defendants failed to obtain building permit and other building approvals which is contrary to section 75(1) of the Urban and Regional Planning And Development Law, CH. U2,Vol. 10 of Lagos State, 2015, when between August 2014, and March 2016, at house H15, Horizon 1 Extention, Ikate Elegunshi, in the lagos, did commence and there was complete construction of six storey building without building permit and approval.

They were also accused of committing involuntary manslaughter contrary to Section 224 and punishable under Section 229 of the Criminal Laws CH. C17, Vol. 3, Laws of Lagos State, 2015.