FAMILY OF LATE PRESIDENT EDGAR LUNGU HAVE DISMISSED ALLEGATIONS HE WAS POISONED
(BBC) The family of ex-Zambian President Edgar Lungu, who died in South Africa last June and is yet to be buried, have dismissed allegations he was poisoned.
South African police also want custody of his body as part of their investigations, according to the late politician’s family.
In a letter to the police, seen by the BBC, their lawyers say the family are co-operating with “criminal proceedings”, but maintain the allegations are “unfounded and unsupported by credible evidence”.
It is the latest twist over the fate of Lungu’s body, which remains in a morgue in South Africa and has been subject to an ongoing legal battle between his family and Zambia’s government over where he should be buried.
South Africa’s police service has refused to comment on the letter sent by the Johannesburg law firm Mashele Attorneys, which is representing the Lungu family.
Police spokesperson Brig Athlenda Mathe told the BBC: “This is a very sensitive matter that cannot be discussed at this stage.”
Lungu died of an undisclosed illness aged 68 at a clinic in South Africa’s capital, Pretoria. He had led Zambia from 2015 until 2021, when he lost elections by a huge margin to current President Hakainde Hichilema.
The Zambian government wants Lungu’s remains to be repatriated and given a state funeral, with full state honours – and a South African court ruled in its favour in August.
But Lungu’s family want a private burial in South Africa as they say the former president had not wanted Hichilema to attend his funeral. The relationship between the two politicians had long been fraught.
In the letter to the South African police, dated 11 February 2026, Mashele Attorneys confirmed that on behalf of the Lungu family it had “complied with the five subpoenas issued” in relation to a criminal probe looking into allegations that the former Zambian president was poisoned.
“For the avoidance of doubt, it is our clients’ instruction that the allegations underlying the criminal case are denied,” the letter said.
Neo Mashele, from Mashele Attorneys, told the BBC the investigation by police appeared to be based on a “public utterance” about a poisoning allegation made by one of Lungu’s daughters that was “absolutely not true”.
In its letter, Mashele Attorneys also raised concern over another subpoena it said had been issued by police to the funeral home looking after Lungu’s body.
It said there were two High Court orders that directed that “possession and custody of the body remain with Two Mountains Funeral Services pending the finalisation of the legal proceedings”.
“Those orders are binding and operative,” the letter said.
An official from the morgue where the remains are being stored told the BBC that Lungu’s body was “under tight security [and] surveillance 24/7”.
Mrs Lungu has remained in South Africa since the death of her husband and is leading legal efforts to have him buried in South Africa.
Why should the Poisoning issue be coming up now when the Late President Edgar Chagwa Lungu passed away 8 months ago?
And who is alleging the Poisoning of Edgar Lungu now?
Who is the complainant ?
In the heat of the Grief when someone dies people could have said anything. That’s what happens at funerals..But it doesn’t mean social media rantings constitute a potential crime worth investigating.
The death Certificate is there stating the causes of the
Death of the 6th Republican President.. Why the fuss????
But one thing am perfectly sure of, looking through my crystal Ball , is that once that body leaves the Private Funeral Home engaged by the Lungu family, and the South African Police assumes custody under the guise of a post mortem , the body will never go back to the Funeral Home..
Some one desperate for this body is making these moves…and he wants it to be where he wants it before the ” D ” day ….and these are his schemes, on the heels of the visit.
He has tried everything , and now it’s the last push.
You think you can fool a Corleone???
No ways!
The poisoning issue was brought about by PF Lubinda led faction SG Mr. Raphael Nakachinda. It’s not a secrete, it’s an issue in public domain because Nakachinda went on air and had an interview with SABC. These are the consequences of ukusabaila. The family can dismiss the allegations but that does not change anything because;
1. The allegations came from Nakachinda and not from Lungu family and when the allegations were made, they didn’t dismiss it that very time and they never reprimanded the originator of the story.
2. The Government and State House remain accused by Nakachinda, so they want to clear their name through conducting an autopsy on Lungu’s body.
3. Dismissing the allegation should be done to Nakachinda who brought and said it publicly and not to the Zambian government or the South African police or authorities.
It’s too late for the family to dismiss the story now, they should have done it immediately it was said, when it was still fresh in Raphael’s mouth. Otherwise why dismissing it now and not the time it surfaced? Some damage has already been done to the accused’s reputation.
Besides that, Nakachinda could be already in trouble, because he has to substantiate his allegations to the government and State House. Where did he find the story and what evidence has he got?
The one that is insisting that ECL was poisoned could be the one that poisoned him because they are very sure this is what happened. They should just come clean if that is the case. Freemasons can not be trusted.
“HE THAT DIGS HOLES FOR OTHERS, SHALL HIMSELF BE BURIED IN THEM” – EDITH NAWAKWI.
REJECT TRIBALISM, CORRUPTION AND OPPRESSION.
VOTE FOR CHANGE IN AUGUST.
Let SA police just get a court order to do a post mortem to ascertain cause of death. What is the family afraid of. Are there hidden skeletons in the closet?