PRETORIA HIGH COURT SETS AUGUST 8 FOR JUDGMENT IN LUNGU REPATRIATION CASE
By Darius Choonya, Pretoria, South Africa
The Pretoria High Court has set Friday, August 8, 2025, at 11:30 hours as the date and time to deliver its judgment in a case in which the Zambian government is seeking the repatriation of former President Edgar Lungu’s remains for burial in Zambia.
This follows the conclusion of submissions from both the Lungu family and the State on August 4, 2025.
In their submission, the Lungu family did not object to the repatriation of the former President’s body. However, they opposed the idea of President Hakainde Hichilema presiding over the funeral proceedings, in line with the wishes of former First Lady Esther Lungu.
During the hearing, the Lungu family’s lawyer, C.J. Welgemoed, was asked by the judges whether the return of the body to Zambia would present any issues.
He responded in the negative, stating that the core concern was President Hichilema’s involvement in the funeral.
Mr. Welgemoed argued that even in the absence of a formal statement from Mr. Lungu regarding his burial, the court should respect the wishes of his wife as next of kin, who feels it would be undignified for President Hichilema to preside over the ceremony.
The court, however, noted that it cannot issue an order barring the current President from presiding over the funeral.
Meanwhile, the Zambian government has maintained that the body should be repatriated and that Mr. Lungu should be accorded the honour befitting a former Head of State.
The case has drawn national attention, as it pits the government’s position against the preferences of the late President’s family.
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It is fait- accompli.
We await the Judgement. We listened to the submissions, and will see how the case will be ruled
Which law are they going to use Zambian or south African?????? Honestly feedback next time put someone as a DC in KAOMA who is very active not what we see.The former DC he had more impact than the current DC we have in KAOMA.
The case of the State is very weak in law and in fact.
Winning the case will be a Travesty of Justice.The Lawyer for the Applicants talked for close to a hour, the content was zero.
You base your arguments on the so called agreement, and then you seek completely different reliefs.
Why not seek the relief based on the Agreement?
Asked on the law which you are using to support the rights of the applicants, you talk of the opinions of Attorney General Kabesha and the numerous degrees he has!
Let’s wait and see.
Now it’s Esther lungu’s wish not meno-meno’s wish