FILE PHOTO: Former Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva gives an interview for Reuters in the northeastern city of Penedo in Alagoas, Brazil August 23, 2017. REUTERS/Paulo Whitaker

BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazil’s Supreme Court chief justice on Wednesday granted imprisoned former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva a temporary leave to visit the body of his recently deceased brother at a military base in Sao Paulo state.

The decision, however, came too late for the former president commonly known as Lula, to attend the funeral since his brother was about to be burled.

The former president chose to stay at the prison, a federal installation in the southern city of Curitiba, an elected Congressman and fellow member of Lula’s Workers Party said on Twitter.

Lula’s brother Genival Inácio da Silva died on Tuesday from cancer. Lula’s defense filed a court request hours later asking permission for him to take part in the funeral.

Lower courts rejected the request because of security worries since his presence at the funeral could attract a large crowd.

Supreme Court Chief Justice Dias Toffoli decided to allow Lula to see the body of his deceased brother and some family members, but ruled that the body should be transported to a military base, with restricted access to the public.

Lula is serving a 12-year sentence for a graft conviction.