Late Chief Albert Luthuli’s daughter, Dr Albertina Nomathuli Luthuli, reiterated her viewpoint that her father could not have been hit by a train because he did not sustain any injuries to his face, nor did he lose any of his limbs.
Albertina said when Luthuli’s body was laid out for the family and public to view a day before his funeral service, his face had no injuries and his body was intact, something uncommon for a person struck by a train.
Albertina, a licensed medical practitioner and Luthuli’s second-born daughter, made this statement at the Pietermaritzburg High Court in KwaZulu-Natal on Tuesday.
Reopened inquest
The 93-year-old Albertina was testifying at the reopened inquest into her father’s unexplained death, which occurred in July 1967 after he was allegedly run over by a train.
The inquest is presided over by Judge Nompumelelo Radebe.
After his death, an initial inquest determined that Luthuli was hit by a train while he was crossing a railway track. It stated that he fractured his skull and died.
Evidence leader advocate Annah Chuene opened Tuesday’s proceedings by asking Albertina to provide the inquest with her version of events on the day her father passed away.
In an affidavit dated June 6, 2019, Albertina gave her version of what happened on the day of Luthuli’s death.
She claimed that the apartheid government’s claim was not supported by his injuries. It claimed that her father died as a result of being struck by a train.
No visible injuries
“I saw his body before his funeral service. His body lay in the church. His face was showing, and it was clean. There were no visible injuries. He had a full body and no missing limbs,” said Albertina.
She said the post-mortem report conducted at Stanger Hospital “said nothing” about what happened to her father. Luthuli was admitted at the same hospital after allegedly being hit by a train in KwaDuduza (then Stanger).
Albertina continues with her testimony on Wednesday.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) is presenting evidence in the Pietermaritzburg High Court in a bid to have the initial findings on the death of iconic anti-apartheid figure and former ANC president Chief Albert Luthuli overturned.
Inquest reopened
Luthuli died from head injuries sustained after being allegedly hit by a goods train in in July 1967. A subsequent inquest at the Stanger Magistrate’s Court in September of that year found the incident to be an accident.
The apartheid government claimed a goods train hit Luthuli. This claim has been dismissed by Luthuli’s family and the ANC.
