KBN TV, a local Zambian broadcaster, has reported claims that the body of former president Edgar Lungu has gone missing from a South African mortuary, according to a family source.
A family member is said to have told the station that the body was stolen raising concerns about who may be responsible and under what circumstances the alleged incident occurred.
The claims come amid a prolonged dispute between the government of Zambia and the Lungu family over burial arrangements following his death in June 2025.
The family has maintained that the former president should receive a private funeral in line with his personal wishes and family considerations.
On the other hand, the government has insisted on a state funeral arguing that it would be appropriate for a former head of state.
The matter was previously taken to a South African court, which ordered that Lungu’s remains be repatriated to Zambia for a state funeral.
However, an appeal process has since delayed the implementation of the ruling leaving the remains in a South African mortuary amid ongoing legal uncertainty.
Overall the matter continues to evolve with uncertainty surrounding the location and custody of the former president’s remains as legal proceedings and family objections remain unresolved.
While public interest grows across the region and calls for clarity and resolution increase amid ongoing scrutiny of both governments handling of the situation by officials and legal experts monitoring developments closely as the case progresses forward regionally.