Lungu died in a Pretoria hospital in June. While his family has opted for a private burial in SA, the Zambian government is seeking to have his body repatriated for an official state funeral.

Representing the Zambian state, Advocate Ben Stoop told the court that there is no factual basis to support suggestions that Lungu fled Zambia due to political persecution.

“What we do seek to strike is where there are references to persecution,  that the President fled Zambia. Those allegations, we say, have no place here,” said Stoop.

“They are simply not the truth. There are no facts to back them up, and that is why we say they must be struck.”

–SABC/ChannelAfrica–