South African court orders return of late President Lungu’s body for burial at Embassy Park, Lusaka

The Gauteng High Court in South Africa has ruled in favour of the Zambian government’s request to repatriate the body of the late sixth Republican President, Edgar Lungu, for burial at Embassy Park in Lusaka.

In a judgment delivered today, the court directed the mortuary holding the former president’s remains to immediately release the body to officials representing the Zambian government.

Read more: Courtroom showdown in Pretoria over final resting place for late Zambian President, Lungu; ruling expected latest Friday

The court further ordered that the late Head of State be repatriated and interred at Embassy Park, the official burial site for Zambia’s former presidents.

The ruling brought emotional scenes in the courtroom. Former President Lungu’s immediate elder sister, Bertha Lungu, wailed as she left the Pretoria High Court shortly after it ordered that her younger brother’s remains be handed over to President Hakainde Hichilema’s government. Family members, who had opposed the repatriation, were visibly shaken as they exited the court.

Details shortly.

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