Spain court approves autopsy on Angolan ex-president

A court in Barcelona has authorised an autopsy to be carried out on the body of the former Angolan president, Jose Eduardo dos Santos.

He died in the Spanish city on Friday, where he had gone for medical treatment.

The autopsy was requested by the late president's daughter, Tchize dos Santos.

She has spoken of a conspiracy to kill her father to prevent him supporting the opposition in the upcoming Angolan elections.

Lawyers for the Dos Santos family have denounced moves by the Angolan government to return the body to Angola for a state funeral, against the ex-president's expressed wish to be buried privately in Spain.

Dos Santos was president of Angola for nearly 40 years, until 2017.

This article originally appeared on BBC News

Photo: EPA