A postmortem examination has been conducted on the body of Edgar Lungu without the approval of his family, according to family spokesperson Makebi Zulu.
Speaking on behalf of the family, Zulu disclosed that the procedure was carried out by South Africa’s forensic pathology services after the remains were transferred from Two Mountains Burial Services. He stated that the body was taken to the facility by a diplomat from the Zambian embassy, accompanied by police, under a postmortem docket alleging suspected poisoning—claims he firmly rejected.
Zulu confirmed that the postmortem began at 08:30 hours and concluded at 14:00 hours. He expressed concern that the procedure proceeded despite what he described as an order from the Supreme Court of Appeal directing that the body be returned immediately to either the family or Two Mountains. He added that the body had been dissected and that the family was at the forensic pathology services offices finalizing affidavit documents to facilitate its transfer to a mortuary of their choice.
The development follows earlier attempts by South African police, dating back to February, to access the remains in order to establish the exact cause of death. Edgar Lungu died on 5 June 2025, but has yet to be buried due to an ongoing legal dispute between his family and the Zambian government regarding his final resting place.
On 22 April 2026, the Zambian government confirmed that it had taken possession of the remains after they were formally handed over following a ruling by the Pretoria High Court. This followed the family’s inability to proceed with a case before the Supreme Court of Appeal.
Government representative Kabesha confirmed in a statement that the remains had been removed from Two Mountains Burial Services and transferred to a facility managed by the South African government.
Posts
