The Accra High Court has granted an injunction filed by the maternal family of the late musician, Charles Kwadwo Fosu, popularly known as Daddy Lumba, restraining the first respondent, Kofi Owusu—the family head (Abusuapanyin)—from organising his burial.
This comes after confusion surrounding the death and funeral arrangements for Daddy Lumba intensified, as members of his family have taken key individuals to court, alleging secrecy, mismanagement and attempts to hijack the late musician’s memorial plans.
The court also prohibited the third respondent, Transitions Funeral Home, from releasing the body until the main case is fully determined.
In its decision, the court noted that the affidavits suggested the immediate family had been excluded from the funeral arrangements. It stressed the need to thoroughly consider the merits of the dispute.
The judge acknowledged that postponing the burial could result in higher costs, but emphasised that due process and proper involvement of the immediate family must be upheld.
Although affirming that the family head has the traditional authority to lead funeral preparations, the court ruled that this authority must be exercised in consultation with the immediate family.
The court further ordered the first respondent to convene a stakeholder meeting within three weeks to agree on a new burial date.
Additionally, it directed that all funds raised for the funeral be kept separate from accounts of the Daddy Lumba Memorial Foundation. The applicants were instructed to file an affidavit with the court registrar.
The recent Kumasi High Court ruling in the much-publicised case involving two alleged wives of the late music legend Daddy Lumba raised a legal, social, and diplomatic storm far beyond what anyone expected.
What should have remained a family settlement between a recognised spouse and an alleged partner has now spiralled into a national credibility crisis, one that demands immediate attention from the President of the Republic of Ghana.
According to circulating reports, the judge rejected the marriage certificate presented by the wife, Akosua Serwaa, reportedly issued by German authorities while seemingly accepting the position of the alleged mistress, Odo Broni, without equivalent documentary scrutiny.
