Zambian Government accused of 'Stealing Dignity' in Lungu post-mortem row

The family of former Zambian president Edgar Lungu has accused the country’s government of stealing his dignity by conducting a post-mortem on him without the family’s consent or knowledge.

The matter of Lungu’s remains returned to the high court on Thursday, where the government was seeking an order to have his remains taken to a mortuary of its choice in preparation for repatriation.

This followed a move by the government to take Lungu’s remains from his family’s mortuary, which was subsequently challenged by the family in court and resulted in the remains being returned to the family.

There is currently a high court order that the former statesman should be laid to rest in Zambia, but the family is challenging this in the Supreme Court.

Last week, the Zambian government collected the remains of Edgar Lungu from the Two Mountains Mortuary, where it has been since his passing in June.

But his family was granted a court order for them to be returned the next day.

Family spokesperson, Makebi Zulu, said that they then learned that a post-mortem was conducted under what they deem to be baseless allegations that Lungu may have been poisoned

Thursday's order means that Lungu’s remains will be kept at a mortuary that will be paid for by the Zambian government. They plan to battle it out with the family in court over where Lungu should be laid to rest.

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