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The family of Zambia’s late Sixth Republican President, Edgar Chagwa Lungu, has accused Zambian government officials and South African police officers of unlawfully seizing and conducting an unauthorized postmortem on the former Head of State’s remains, describing the actions as a “grave abuse of power” and a violation of international legal norms.
In a strongly worded statement issued in Pretoria, family spokesperson, Makebi Zulu, said officials acted with “blatant disregard for South African court orders and due process,” adding that the events amounted to “desecration of the dignity of President Edgar Chagwa Lungu.”
Zulu said problems began on 22 April when South African police officers and Zambian officials arrived at Two Mountains Funeral Services claiming to enforce a “lapsed” High Court repatriation order issued on 25 August 2025. Despite no family representative being present, the officials allegedly pressured the funeral home to release the body.
Read more: Reactions trail reported transfer of late Lungu’s body to Zambian govt
The remains were transported to the Tshwane Forensic Pathology Service and booked in at 18:30 under entry number 0632/26. Zulu said Sergeant Ngwenya and an unnamed Zambian diplomat opened Postmortem Docket FPS 002/SAP 180, in which Sgt. Ngwenya claimed the late president had died of “suspected poisoning,” allegedly reported by a family member. The family insists no such report was ever made and described the statement as “entirely fabricated.”
Upon learning of the developments, the family’s legal team urgently approached the High Court of South Africa – Pretoria, which between 22:00 and 23:00 on 22 April issued an order directing the immediate return of the remains to Two Mountains Funeral Services. The court also required all parties involved to show cause why they should not be held in contempt.
Zulu said the order was properly served on South African state authorities and on the Zambian Government’s legal representatives.
Despite the court’s directive, Zulu said instructions from Zambian authorities and Sgt. Ngwenya led forensic pathologist Dr. Shirley Jena‑Stuart to perform a postmortem at Tshwane Forensic Pathology Service between 08:30 and 14:00 on 23 April.
He emphasized that “no South African or foreign court ever authorized such a procedure” and that the 2025 court order officials cited made no mention of a postmortem.
According to the family, the facility continued to hold the body until approximately 21:40 on 23 April and only released it after the family’s lawyers escalated the matter to senior South African police officials.
He said the family has since regained custody of the remains in accordance with the High Court’s order.
Zulu said the family remains unwavering in its commitment to honor the late president’s dignity.
“Whereas most have expressed the opinion that the remains should have been left with the state who wantonly desecrated the dignity of President Edgar Chagwa Lungu, the Lungu family holds the firm view that under no circumstance will they abandon their loved one,” he said.
He added that the chain of events demonstrated “unlawful conduct, falsification of official records, and disregard for both South African law and international norms governing the treatment of the dead.” Zulu noted that no family member was present during the removal of the body from Two Mountains, during its handover at Tshwane Forensic Pathology Service, or at any stage of the process.
“These events represent a grave abuse of power, desecration of the late President’s dignity, and contempt for the rule of law,” he said. “The family reserves all legal rights to pursue justice, including contempt proceedings,” the statement reads.
Zulu called on both the Government of the Republic of Zambia and the Government of South Africa to undertake full, transparent inquiries into the conduct of the officials involved. He also urged the public, media, and international community to “demand accountability as we do.”
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