Online Reporter
JOHANNESBURG. – The family of Edgar Lungu have filed papers for leave to appeal Gauteng Judge President Aubrey Ledwaba’s judgment that the former Zambian president’s remains be repatriated to Lusaka for burial.
“The court in this case concluded that the government of Zambia is entitled to proceed with the state funeral for the late president of Zambia.”
“The order of the court reads as follows … it is ordered that the applicant (government of Zambia) is entitled to repatriate the body of the late president, Edgar Lungu, for a state funeral and burial thereafter in Embassy Park, in Lusaka, Republic of Zambia,” Ledwaba ruled
The family members were ordered to surrender the body of the former president to representatives of the Zambian government to enable repatriation.
However, the family has filed papers on their intention to apply for leave to appeal the judgment in the supreme court.
It has been two months since the former Zambian head of State died in Johannesburg while receiving medical attention.
The court battle — which has taken place in the same time frame in South African courts — between the Zambian government and the Lungu family is far from over.
In its papers the family argues that the full bench, which heard the matter earlier this week, erred in granting the Zambian government its wish to repatriate president Lungu’s body.
On Friday, the court agreed with the Zambian government that an agreement was reached between the State and the family in meeting in June for Lungu’s remains to be repatriated and for a State funeral to be held for him in Lusaka.
But the family disputes this, saying the court failed to consider the full set of events between the parties in that meeting.
The High Court will now consider the Lungu family’s application for leave to appeal and if granted the matter will be heard in the SCA.
However, state funeral arrangements made in Zambia, in anticipation of receiving the former president’s mortal remains in Lilongwe, had Hichilema at the centre, as the commander-in-chief of the Zambian Defence Forces.
The Zambian government had planned State funeral arrangements in Zambia, in anticipation of receiving the former president’s mortal remains in Lilongwe. – IOLNews
