Lagos arraigns Lekki Gardens MD, others over involuntary manslaughter, building without approval

The Lagos State Government on Monday
arraigned the Managing Director of Lekki
Gardens Estate Limited, Mr Richard Nyong
before a Lagos High Court in Igbosere over
alleged complicity in the events leading to
the collapse of a building in Lekki area of
the State on March 10, 2016.

Nyong was arraigned alongside others
before Justice Sybil Nwaka over alleged
negligence resulting in the collapse of the
building which reportedly killed 34 people.
Other defendants are Lekki Gardens’
Executive Director, Mr Sola Olumofe; the
firm’s contractor, Odofin Henry Taiwo;
Omolabake Mortune, Omotilewa Oluwatosin
Joseph, Lekki Gardens, Get Too Rich
Investment Limited and HC Insight Solution
Limited.
Before the arraignment of the defendants,
Justice Nwaka had ruled on an application
contending the suitability of the criminal
charges against the defendants on the
ground that there was no seal of the
counsel to the prosecution on the
information as required.
The Court held that the contention was a
simple matter that only required a directive
for the prosecution to affix the seal on the
charges, and thereafter ordered the
prosecution to do so, a directive which the
prosecution led by the Lagos State Attorney
General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr
Adeniji Kazeem immediately complied with.
After the charges were read to them, the
defendants pleaded not guilty, while their
lawyers including Bode Olanipekun and
George Oguntade (SAN) urged the court to
allow the defendants to continue enjoying
the previous bail granted to them.
In response, Kazeem said in as much as the
court was now seized of the matter, it was
important for conditions that would ensure
the presence of the defendants for trial to
be imposed.
In her ruling, Justice Nwaka ruled that the
defendants except the second defendant
(Olumofe) should continue enjoying their
formal bail conditions, but added that they
should deposit their international
passports with the court.
With respect to Olumofe, who is an
Executive Director of Lekki Gardens, Justice
Nwaka granted bail to him in the sum of
N100, 000 and two sureties in the like sum.
The sureties, according to the court, must
be gainfully employed, while the Lagos
State Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP)
must verify the sureties.
The court also ordered Olumofe to deposit
his international passport, while he is to be
remanded in prison pending the perfection
of his bail conditions.
Tragedy had struck on 10 March, 2016
when a six-storey building under
construction by Lekki Gardens in Lekki area
of the State collapsed and killed 34 people.
The developer was said to have added
additional floor to the building against
what was approved by government for
construction.
Specifically, the defendants are facing six-
count charges for failure to obtain building
approval for the collapsed building and
involuntary manslaughter, offences
contrary to and punishable under Section
75 (1) of the Urban and Regional Planning
and Development Law of Lagos State 2010,
and Section 229 of Criminal Law of Lagos
State, 2015 respectively.
The government also listed some of the
victims to include William Akpati (M),
Kazeem Ilesanmi (M), Raphael Ezeh (M),
Saminu Umar (M) and Sunday Ezeh (M).
The matter has been adjourned to October
26 and 30, 2017 for definite hearing.

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