A Barcelona court has authorised an autopsy on former Angolan President José Eduardo dos Santo who died in the city on Friday after his family alleged a conspiracy to kill him.

His daughter, Tchize dos Santos, had requested the autopsy.
Dos Santos, 79, was in Spain for medical treatment and died after a cardiac arrest.

He had been in power for 38 years when he stepped down in 2017.

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

He is said to have been afraid his death would be politicised because his children would not be able to travel to Angola for his funeral or to visit his grave.

His death has reportedly worsened relations between his family and the Angolan government