Zambia ex-president family win latest legal battle to bury am for South Africa one year afta e kpai
Wia dis foto come from, Getty Images
- Author, Natasha Booty
- Author, Wedaeli Chibelushi
- Published
- Read am in 3 mins
More dan one year afta di death of Zambia former President Edgar Lungu, im family don win dia appeal to bury am for South Africa wia e kpai - and dis overturn one high court ruling wey allow di Zambian govment to return im bodi.
Tuesday Supreme Court of Appeal judgement don finally end di legal battle ova wetin go happun im bodi afta long-standing gbas-gbos between Lungu and im successor, President Hakainde Hichilema.
Di Zambian govment say while dem disagree wit di ruling, dem "no go take di mata further".
Dem argue say, as former head of state, Lungu suppose dey honoured for di kontri.
Di Zambian govment bin wish to see am laid to rest alongside im predecessors for di special presidential burial ground for di capital, Lusaka.
But Lungu family want private burial afta negotiations wit di govment ova di burial arrangements bin break down.
"Di veri ritual wey bin intend to bring closure, instead jam family against di state for hard-fought legal dispute far from di protagonists home," Justice Raylene May Keightley tok for Tuesday judgement.
Last August, di South African high court for Pretoria bin rule say Zambia govment fit return di bodi and give am state burial - and dis outcome pain Lungu relatives for court.
Di family bin appeal di decision but, for surprise announcement for April, Zambia govment say Lungu bodi don dey "formally transferred" to di state by di South African court.
But just few hours later, di same South African court order di Zambian govment to return di bodi until di mata go court again.
Di former president bin die of undisclosed illness at di age of 68 for one clinic for Pretoria.
Kasala burst afta im death as mourners receive conflicting information from di govment and Lungu political party, di Patriotic Front (PF).
Two separate mourning periods bin dey announced and at one point competing condolence books dey.
Lungu, wey bin lead Zambia from 2015 till 2021, get plenti gbas-gbos wit Hichilema, wey be opposition leader for many years bifor e finally unseat im bitter rival.
Afta Lungu death, im family say di ex-president no want Hichilema to dey for im burial or "anywia near" im bodi.
For dis latest ruling for di Supreme Court of Appeal, di judges say e dey clear say di former president "view imsef to be persona non grata for im own kontri" of Zambia and "feel say dem no go give am dignified send-off" if im successor dey present.
Additional reporting by Nomsa Maseko for Johannesburg
