Romelu Lukaku has claimed that he and his brother were ‘extorted’ by people refusing to hand over their father’s body for his funeral in Belgium.
What’s more, he says that he and his brother Jordan, who plays for Lazio, will be denied the comfort of laying their father to rest as a result.
Roger Lukaku, a former player for Zaire (now DR Congo) who ended his career in Belgium, died aged 58 last month.
And Napoli striker Romelu wrote in a heartbreaking statement on Instagram: ‘As you may know, we planned to have the funeral this Friday, but because of certain decisions being made in Kinshasa (capital of DR Congo), the funeral will take place over there.
‘Our dad passed away on the 28 of September and we as brothers tried everything to bring his corpse back to Europe but we felt that we were being extorted by some people.
Romelu Lukaku claims his late father’s body has been held in DR Congo in an ‘extortion’ effort against him and his brother Jordan
Roger Lukaku died aged 58 last month having passed on his football legacy to his sons
Romelu says he and his brother will not be able to lay their father (above) to rest: ‘It breaks our souls’
‘If our father was here today he wouldn’t accept it. It breaks our soul for us to not put our father to rest. But some people didn’t want it.
‘We understand know why our dad used to keep us away from a lot of people.
‘God bless your soul.’
Lukaku did not elaborate on the circumstances or the individuals who have allegedly held on to his father’s body.
Tributes were paid to Roger in Belgium after his passing, with Romelu’s old club RSC Anderlecht sharing an image of him on a screen at a match with Standard de Liege earlier this month.
Sharing news of his father’s passing last month, Lukaku shared a picture of them together when he was a child and wrote: ‘Thank you for teaching me everything I know.
‘I’m forever grateful and appreciate you. Life will never be the sameProtecting and guiding me like no else could. I won’t be the same.
‘The pain and tears are flowing big time. But God will give me the strength to get myself back together.
‘Merci pour tout Roger Menama Lukaku Vieux Roy ( for his friends). Mon Papa.’
Roger began his football journey with Vita club in his homeland before joining Africa Sports D’Abdijan in Ivory Coast.
He moved to Belgium in 1990 with second-tier club Boom and went on to play for Seraing, Germinal Ekeren, Mechelen, and Oostende. He also had a brief stint in Turkey with Genclerbirligi.
