Court orders Edgar Lungu's remains be repatriated back to Zambia

JOHANNESBURG - The Pretoria High Court has ordered that the remains of former Zambian President Edgar Lungu be repatriated to Zambia to be buried in a state funeral.

Gauteng Deputy Judge President Aubrey Ledwaba handed down the judgment on Friday morning, ruling in the government’s favour.

Lungu died in Johannesburg in June while receiving medical treatment.

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A unanimous judgment was handed down by Deputy Judge President Ledwaba, and it is in favour of the Zambian government to have Lungu's remains buried at the Embassy Park Presidential Burial Site in Lusaka.

"It is ordered that the applicant is entitled to repatriate the body of the late President Edgar Lungu for a state funeral and burial." 

Lungu's family had challenged the Zambian government's application, wanting the former president to be buried in South Africa. 

The order sparked uncontrollable crying by the former president's sister, Bertha Lungu, who broke out in the court gallery in the Bemba language.

The family must now hand over Lungu's body to a state representative in preparation for his burial. 

ZAMBIAN GOVERNMENT REACTS

The Zambian government said Friday’s judgement in its favour by the Pretoria High Court is sound and makes good sense.

The order sparked loud cries from Lungu’s sister bertha who sat in the court gallery.

Speaking to the media, Zambia’s State attorney Mulilo Kabeshi welcomed the judgement.

“It’s just what makes good sense- that the president or former president of the republic of Zambia should be buried in his own country. I mean if you go to Zambia they call him father of the nation. When you are a father of the nation you can’t restrict yourself to your immediate family.”

Additional multimedia reporting by Sphamandla Dlamini