Edgar Lungu burial matter set to return to court
The family is challenging a high court ruling that ordered the repatriation of Lungu’s remains for his burial after he died while receiving medical attention in Johannesburg in June.
Bertha Lungu, sister of Edgar Lungu, crying after the Pretoria High Court judgement that Edgar’s remains be repatriated to Lusaka for burial. Picture: Sphamandla Dlamini/EWN
JOHANNESBURG - The bitter dispute between the Zambian government and the family of former president Edgar Lungu will be heard in the Pretoria High Court on Monday morning.
The family is challenging a high court ruling that ordered the repatriation of Lungu’s remains for his burial after he died while receiving medical attention in Johannesburg in June.
The court found that there was a valid agreement between the Lungu family and state, which stipulated that he would be laid to rest in Lusaka and that incumbent President Hakainde Hichilema would be involved in the burial.
On Friday, the leave to appeal application by the family of Lungu did not proceed after both parties agreed to discuss the matter out of court before deciding on the next move.
But hours later, the Lungu family escalated its bid to the Constitutional Court on an urgent basis.
On Monday morning, the parties will return to the high court to give an update on what was decided.
The matter is likely to be taken to the Constitutional Court first and that will inform whether the matter proceeds in the high court.