High Court gives go-ahead for Lumba’s funeral to proceed tomorrow

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Makay
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The late Daddy Lumba

The Accra High Court has paved the way for the funeral of highlife legend Daddy Lumba, scheduled for December 13, 2025, to proceed as planned.

This follows the failure of applicants seeking to block the arrangements amid a family dispute to deposit GH¢2 million into court by the 2:00 pm deadline on December 12, as ordered by the judge to cover potential costs.

The court subsequently struck out their injunction application, lifting the earlier legal barrier.

Lawyers for Transitions Funeral Home have stated they are awaiting the certified court order to proceed with funeral arrangements.

The court ruling follows an earlier injunction that had temporarily prevented the family head from organising the funeral.

Meanwhile, the Accra High Court ordered the maternal family of the late highlife legend to pay GHS 2 million to the respondent (the abusuapanyin) by 2 p.m or allow the funeral to proceed as scheduled.

The court highlighted that the amount is intended to cover funeral-related costs already incurred if the burial is later halted following the court’s final determination.

Lawyers representing the applicants, however, cited that the court lacked jurisdiction to vary its earlier interlocutory orders without a formal notice.

They argued that the court had already granted the injunction around 10:00 a.m., with no application seeking a variation being served.

The applicant further argued that depositing GH₵2 million within less than two hours was practically impossible.

However, the lawyers of the respondents opposed the objection, citing that the cost already incurred, including invitations to dignitaries and payments to contractors, was more than GH₵5 million.

“It is only fair that the applicants put their money where their heart and mind is,” counsel said.

The court, in its ruling, ordered that if the applicants fail to meet the GH₵2 million payment by the stated deadline, the third respondent, Transitions Funeral Home, is to release the body to allow the funeral to proceed.

However, the  Accra High Court has already issued an injunction against the late Highlife legend Daddy Lumba’s funeral, slated for December 13, 2025.

The High Court decision follows the maternal family of the legend, Daddy Lumba, initiating a legal dispute.

The five maternal relatives, Obaapanyin Afia Adomah Pakoso, Robert Gyamfi (Wofa Yaw Poku Asuafua), Georgina Gyamfi, Ernestina Fosuh, and Nana Afia Kobi Pakoso filed a writ on December 3 seeking against the customary and legal authority over the burial arrangements.

The court is restraining Kofi Owusu, the family head (Abusuapanyin), from organising his burial and also barred the third respondent, Transitions Funeral Home, from releasing the body until all substantive issues were resolved.

The Judge in the ruling noted that affidavits before it suggested the immediate family had been sidelined in funeral arrangements.

According to the Judge, delaying the burial could lead to increased costs, but highlighted that due process and proper family involvement must be respected.

Although the Judge asserted that the family head has the authority to lead funeral preparations, he added that such authority must be exercised in consultation with the family.

The court subsequently directed the first respondent convene a stakeholder meeting within three weeks to agree on a new burial date, adding that all funds raised for the funeral be separated from accounts belonging to the Daddy Lumba Memorial Foundation.