The Constitutional Court of South Africa has dismissed an application by the family of the late former Zambian President Edgar Lungu, effectively upholding an earlier Pretoria High Court ruling that ordered his remains to be repatriated to Zambia for a state funeral.
Lungu, who passed away in South Africa earlier this year, became the subject of a bitter dispute between his family and the Zambian government. While the family sought to bury him privately in South Africa, the government argued that, as a former Head of State, his body must be returned to Zambia for an official state ceremony in line with national protocols.
Earlier this month, the Pretoria High Court ruled in favor of the Zambian government, ordering that Lungu’s remains be handed over to authorities for repatriation. The family appealed to the Constitutional Court, but judges have now thrown out the case, clearing the way for his return.
With the legal challenge dismissed, preparations for Lungu’s repatriation and state funeral in Zambia are expected to move forward.
The ruling brings closure to weeks of legal wrangling and ensures that the former president will be laid to rest in his home country, with full state honors.
