The Zambian Department of Immigration has rearrested the Eight Croatian nationals discharged by the Ndola Magistrate Court regarding the case of child trafficking involving four juveniles from DR Congo.
On Monday morning, the State discontinued the matter of attempted child trafficking of four children from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) charged on the four couples.
Department of Immigration Public Relations officer Namati Nshinka said the department received instructions from the National Prosecution Authority (NPA) to have the 8 Croatians rearrested.
Mr Nshinka confirmed that the eight were arrested yesterday were not charged by news time.
“Yes the eight Croatians have been rearrested. We received instructions from NPA to re-arrest,” Mr. Nshinka confirmed late on Tuesday afternoon.
The eight were first arrested at the Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe Airport Ndola on 7th December, 2022 on suspicion that they were attempting to traffic four children aged between one and three-years-old.
Zambian authorities on Monday ordered the eight discharged Croatians to leave the country within 48 hours.
When discontinuing the case, State advocate Mahape Libakeni, who made the application on Monday morning, stated that the matter was discontinued pursuant to section 88(a) of the Criminal Procedure Code chapter 87 of the laws of Zambia.
In response, lawyers from the Legal Aid Board representing the eight Croatian nationals did not object to the application from the state.
Ndola Chief Resident Magistrate Dominic Makalicha in delivering his ruling on the application granted the application with an emphasis that a discharge was not an acquittal.
In this case, it was alleged that on December 7, last year, Damir Magic, an electrical technician and Nadic Magic, a chemical teacher, jointly and while acting together, attempted to traffic a child namely Beatrice Magic.
It was further heard that this was within the territorial boundaries of Zambia for the purpose of exploitation.
In count two, another couple namely, Subosic Zoran, a musician and Immovic Subosic, a Constitutional Court administrator, on the same date attempted to traffic a child namely Mariella Kalinde Immovic Subosic within the territorial boundaries of Zambia for the purpose of exploitation.
Further, Ladislav Persic, a veterinary doctor and Aleksandra Persic, a
dog beauty stylist on December 7, this year allegedly attempted to
traffic a child namely Jona Asnate within the territorial boundaries
of Zambia for the purpose of exploitation.
It was also alleged that Noah Kraljevic, a human rights activist and Ivona Kraljevic, a proxy woman at that country’s national theater, were also alleged to have attempted to traffic a child namely Jean Val Kraljevic within the territorial boundaries of Zambia for the purpose of exploitation.
The Croatian nationals were on 23rd January, 2023 released on bail pending trial. On 12th January, 2023, Magistrate Makalicha granted bail to eight (8) Croatian nationals charged with the offence of attempted trafficking in four children of Congolese origin on the Zambian territory.
On the first day of trial, Magistrate Makalicha granted bail of K20, 000 each to the eight suspects with two Ndola based traceable sureties.
Earlier on 23rd January, 2023 continued trial failed to take off as Magistrate Makalicha was not available.
Monday, 23rd January 2023, was supposed to be the second day of trial and more witnesses were scheduled to testify before Magistrate Makalicha.
Trial in this case started on January 12 in the Ndola Magistrate’s Court with three witnesses testifying during a three-hour long court session.
On 10th January, 2023, the eight suspects pleaded not guilty to the offence of attempted trafficking in four children of Congolese origin on the Zambian territory.
The Immigration Department on 7th December, 2022 in collaboration with police in Ndola stopped an alleged illegal adoption involving four Congolese children who were destined for Croatia.
No statement has been made about who is taking care of the young children who were to be adopted.
Why’s the Congolese state not involved in this case? Is it a matter of failing to protect its people?
And why are they being represented by the Legal Aid Board? The latter is for our poor people who cannot afford lawyers, but these are clearly not poor people. I mean they can even afford to ‘buy’ children from the DRC!
Such is the extent of our daftness.
In Croatia for each small black child is 15.000 Euro, if go to west is much more … One woman already bring from Congo 5 of tham …. Do you think this is normal? I mean these people NEVER see these children before … such a shame
Leave them alone. You are falling to arrest the price of mealie meal
Stfu hypocrite ,for 10yrs your PF party failed to arrest the continued decline of Zambia’s economy and indebtedness.
Don’t let go and judge these people. You have the support of the Croatian public. Three out of four couples do not have the legal right to adopt in Croatia. It is about buying children.
What support ?
Speak for yourself, stop inventing.
What support ?
Speak for yourself, stop inventing.
I’m just looking at the names of the kidnapped children, they sound Croatian?
I have no doubt in my mind the children have African names. But, when you don’t give a damn, you give them your own choice of name, completely disregarding what they were called before;.. as you would name a stray kitten you pick up! All very very sad.
I was thinking the same…
SHODDY POLICE WORK AS USUAL
Milan is lying, none of couples is denied the right to adoption in Croatia.
There is a strong campaign against these people in Croatia which is lead by right wing racists who don’t want black children in our society.
I believe that these couples were well intended and not well informed.
But, folks, your legal system is rather insecure, one day you are let out, next day you are in again.
What you write is not true. One man underwent a gender reassignment operation to become a woman. Cut off the breasts and injects hormones. Two couples are too old to adopt children. No one in Croatia has anything against children from Africa, but child trafficking is punishable everywhere. Judge them!!
Excuse me. Lapsus. It is about a woman who changes sex, Dalija Pintarich ALIAS Noah Kraljevich. Using fake Congolese documents, they obtained papers in Croatia that the children were theirs. They had never seen children before. Don’t let them go unpunished
Milan Im inclined to believe you but why did they pick DRC? Does Croatia have any , language, trade, historic relationswith DRC Or is this a well established trafficking ring with Africa?
Quote: “the matter was discontinued pursuant to section 88(a) of the Criminal Procedure Code chapter 87 of the laws of Zambia”. Unquote.
Can someone, please, tell the public – in straight English – what this means. All involved officials are getting “instructions”. What’s going on??? What a shamble! Truly laughable.
That indeed is the reporter’s job. I find it frustrating that present day journalists lift law records and pronouncements word for word and pass them on to us. Your job as a reporter is to clarify things, simplify things and narrate them in pedestrian language to the reader but you are just passing court notes to us. Where has journalism dissapeared to?
Zambia all of a sudden has become a crime haven….corruption and no rule of law just like Nigeria and DRC
@Milan…How can you lie like that, two couples are registered, and two are in procedure. But it doesn’t even meter cause Croatia has no law which can be applied in this case, because NR Kongo isn’t sign UN convention about international adoption of children. More than 150 children from Kongo have been adopted to Croats families and people like you with the angry, xenophobic comments are making their adopters feeling like they are criminals, and children feel insecure in their new homes.
You’re telling lies. In Croatia, transgender people and gays cannot legally adopt children! Why didn’t they come to Congo to get the children? Because they bought the children illegally with fake Congolese documents. According to Croatian laws, the second couple is too old to adopt children. All four couples should be sentenced to prison under Zambian law
The whole “instructions” aspect of this case is really concerning. When officials charged with administering the law, keep getting “instructions”, on how matters should be decided, it thwarts everything they’ve been trained for, & stumps their decision making confidence. Any future issues requiring independent thinking, will be met with fumbling and indecision; until instructions come from up above! It just renders the whole training of people pointless. You might as well appoint uneducated lackeys & be on the phone everyday – telling them what to do. It’s nonsense. How did we get here??
@Zennia, it looks like we’ve always been here.
The article suggests instructions came from the NPA, effectively the meaning the office of the almighty Director of Public Prosecutions.
Mwami…anso bana mu trainer ku Russia uyu CID. Vonse vizankala bwino.
Zambia, protect those children please.
sent tham back in DRC to their parents, brothers and sisters … they are not selling stuffs.
There I agree with Kaizar Zulu. Why should you arrest them after releasing them. Very embarrassing action. Whoever gave such directives has no manners and has no understanding of human rights. Mainza Chona would shout, “ Shemuna bane!” . Shame
Hahaha , good re-arrest of these human trade scum who have no soul or humanity.Great too that this is making front page headlines in Croatian media.
Something is fishy here. Why is their ambassador for Zambia not giving them support ???. He probably knows they are crooks
Nothing is fishy.
Croatia has no embassy in Zambia. Instead, it is our embassy in SA dealing with the matter.
Africa, be proud … your childred and not for selling!!
Yeah where is the Croatian embassy in this? Just watching?