The Accra High Court’s 2:00 p.m. deadline for the maternal family of the late Daddy Lumba to pay GH₵2 million has now passed, intensifying uncertainty around the scheduled funeral on Saturday, December 13.
The court had ordered the family—who are challenging the arrangements for the burial—to deposit the amount to cover funeral expenses already made, in case the burial is later halted after the final ruling.
Family Said Deadline Was Impossible
Before the deadline, the family’s lawyers argued that raising GH₵2 million within two hours was unrealistic. They insisted the court could not change its earlier injunction without proper notice and asked for the original orders to remain. They offered to sign an undertaking to pay after the case is determined.
They also cautioned that the sudden change in orders could create a wrong public impression that something new had occurred in the case.
Respondents Pressed for Even More
Lawyers for the respondents disagreed sharply, saying funeral preparations were already far advanced and costs—including invitations and contractor payments—had to be protected.
They argued that GH₵2 million was too little, proposing an increase to over GH₵5 million. They added that the applicants should “put their money where their heart and mind is.”
They also requested that Transitions Funeral Home be directed to release the body if the applicants failed to meet the payment.
What Happens Now
With the 2:00 p.m. deadline passed, the court’s ruling now gives Transitions Funeral Home the authority to release the body for the funeral to proceed—provided all outstanding fees are paid.
No new directive was issued regarding the Daddy Lumba LBG Foundation account, as the court maintained that aspect of its earlier orders.
Initial Stop Order
Earlier, the court granted an injunction stopping the late musician Daddy Lumba’s burial after his maternal family filed an application. The order temporarily barred family head Kofi Owusu from organising the funeral and prevented Transitions Funeral Home from releasing the body.
The judge said documents before the court indicated that the immediate family may have been left out of the funeral planning, and that this concern needed to be properly examined.
While noting that postponing the burial could increase costs, the court stressed that due process and proper family participation must be ensured.
