The Accra High Court has issued an injunction restraining the family head (Abusuapanyin), Kofi Owusu, from organising the burial of the late musician Daddy Lumba, following a petition filed by the singer’s maternal relatives.

The court also ordered Transitions Funeral Home, the third respondent, not to release the body until the substantive case is determined.

In its ruling, the court indicated that the immediate family had been sidelined in the funeral planning process and stressed the need to examine the merits of the dispute before any burial proceeds.

Although the judge acknowledged that delaying the funeral could result in higher costs, the court emphasised that due process and proper consultation must be upheld. It noted that while the family head has the authority to lead funeral arrangements, that power must be exercised in collaboration with the deceased’s immediate family.

The court further directed Kofi Owusu to convene a stakeholder meeting within three weeks to agree on a new burial date.

Additionally, all funds raised for the funeral must be segregated from accounts belonging to the Daddy Lumba Memorial Foundation. The applicants were instructed to file an affidavit with the court registrar.

The injunction stems from a dispute that arose after Daddy Lumba’s death on July 26, 2025, at age 60. Tensions between his maternal family and the family head over who should lead the funeral rites and how funds should be managed have escalated, reflecting long-standing Akan customs that give significant authority to the maternal lineage in burial matters.