Dead man banned from his own funeral after body arrives on chair

Trinidad & Tobago: A deceased man ended up being turned away from his own funeral after his body was brought to the church on a chair instead of in a coffin.  

Mourners struggled to recognise Che Lewis, 29, with many mistaking his corpse for part of the funeral procession and some even berating it for not wearing a face mask. 

Che, 29, died after being shot at his home in the town of Diego Martin in Trinidad and Tobago on November 14.

His father, Adlay Lewis, 54, was also killed in the attack.

Che's body was filmed being driven to the church in a seated position in a roofless hearse so that onlookers could see him. 

The bizarre funeral procession passed through the capital of Port of Spain before heading to Diego Martin on November 25. 

A passenger in a vehicle captured footage of Che's body speeding along a road in the white open-topped hearse.  

Two men can be seen seated either side of the corpse. 

The procession and funeral garnered a lot of attention and was even streamed online. 

Social media videos show Che's body dressed in white trousers and a pink jacket and tie seated outside the St John the Evangelist Church while the funeral appears to be taking place inside. 

At first, many people were not aware that the seated man was actually the deceased despite the fact that he was cordoned off and sitting next to a large photo of himself. 

Some thought he was part of the funeral procession while others went so far as to berate the corpse for not wearing a face mask during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

The body was placed outside because Che was reportedly denied access to the church by staff members. 

His father's body was brought to the funeral in a coffin.

After the service, father and son were buried in the St John the Evangelist Cemetery. 

Police officer Brent Batson said officials were 'disappointed in the reckless behaviour engaged by Dennie's Funeral Home' - the company that transported Che's body.

'Carrying persons in a dangerous manner is an offence with a GBP 750 penalty and the police will continue the investigation into the funeral company's conduct on the road,' he told local media outlet the Trinidad Express. 

In July this year, Che's borther Abisaja John, 45, was also shot dead at the family home. 

Police reportedly said they were working on a theory that the murders could be linked to a land dispute.