Lungu Family, Zambian Government to Face Off in South African Court Over Former President’s Remains
JOHANNESBURG – The family of former Zambian President Edgar Lungu and the Zambian government are set to return to a South African court on Thursday, continuing a protracted legal battle over the final resting place of the late head of state.
The government is challenging an urgent court order that directed authorities to return Lungu’s remains to a private mortuary. Officials argue that the order was granted in the government’s absence and without full disclosure of the facts surrounding the case.
According to Zambian authorities, the former president’s remains are lawfully in the custody of the South African Police Service as part of an active investigation into Lungu’s death. The government maintains that this legal framework justifies retaining the remains.
The dispute marks the latest chapter in an ongoing legal tug-of-war between the Lungu family and the Zambian government, which has been unable to agree on the handling and burial arrangements for the former leader.
Thursday’s proceedings are expected to shed further light on both parties’ positions as the court weighs the validity of the urgent order against the government’s objections regarding due process.
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