JOHANNESBURG — The Zambian government took custody of former President Edgar Lungu's body from his family after a South African court ordered the body to be released to Zambian authorities. The body was moved from a funeral home in Pretoria to another facility.

Lungu's family said a separate urgent court order required the body to be returned to the funeral home in Pretoria. The dispute over where Lungu should be buried has been ongoing since his death in June last year.

Lungu died of an undisclosed illness in a South African hospital on June 5 last year at the age of 68. He served as Zambia's leader from 2015 to 2021, losing the 2021 presidential election to Hakainde Hichilema.

Hichilema's government said Lungu should have a state funeral in Zambia and be buried at a cemetery set aside for Zambian leaders. Lungu's family said one of his last wishes was that Hichilema should not approach his body or preside over his funeral.

Also in June last year, a court order stopped Lungu's funeral service in South Africa as it was taking place, requiring family members to leave the church ceremony and go to a courthouse. That court intervention marked the first of several legal disputes that have continued to delay burial arrangements.

Lungu and Hichilema were political rivals. In 2017, while Lungu was president, Hichilema was arrested, charged with treason, and held for four months before the charges were dropped and he was released. Lungu lost the 2021 presidential election to Hichilema.

Before his death, Lungu said his movements were being restricted by Zambian police and that he had been effectively placed under house arrest by authorities to prevent any political comeback. Hichilema's government denied that Lungu's movements were restricted or that he was placed under house arrest.