A senior officer working for the Department of Immigration in Ndola has been implicated in the alleged attempted child trafficking case involving eight (8) Croatian nationals.
Gloria Sakulenga, 36, has been arrested and jointly charged with the eight Croatians.
She has been charged with four counts of attempted child trafficking.
It is alleged that on 7th December ,2022, in Ndola, Sakulenga attempted to traffic four child within the territory boundaries of Zambia for the purpose of exploitation.
Attempted trafficking in children is contrary to section 3A (1) and 12 of Human Trafficking Act No.11 of 2008 as Amended by Act No. 16 of 2022 of the laws of Zambia.
When the matter came up on Friday, Sakulenga pleaded not guilty to all the four counts.
Meanwhile, the eight Croatians also pleaded not guilty to the same charges, which they were earlier given.
The eight are Zoran Subosic 52, a guitarist in a well-known band Hladno Pivo or Cold beer, Immovic Subosic,41, an administrator, Damir Magic 44 an electrical technician, Nadic Magic 45, a technician, Ladislav Persic 42, a medical doctor, Aleksandra Persic 43 a hair salon attendant, Noah Kraljevic 40, a programme director and Uvona Kraljevic 36, a dog handler.
The charges alleged that on December 7 last year, the four couples acted together in attempting to traffic four children of Congolese origin.
And in an application for bail pending trial, their lawyer Kelvin Silwimba from Legal Aid Board applied for bail pending trial stating that his clients were not a flight risk.
“Their passports are with the Immigration Department and are willing to raise traceable sureties if granted bail,” he said.
However, senior state advocate
Mahape Libakeni objected the bail application in fear that the accused persons might escape from the country.
“We oppose to the application, the eight are foreign nationals and have not provided any traceable aboard. The crime charged with involves movement of people across the boarders,” he said.
However, Principal resident Magistrate Jennifer Bwalya adjourned the matter to February 14 to rule on whether or not the eight can be granted bail pending trial.
Meanwhile, Sakulenga is on police bond while the eight Croatians are in police custody.
The re-arrested eight (8) Croatian nationals were this week formally slapped with fresh charges of attempted child trafficking.
The Zambian authorities further revoked the temporary residence permits granted to the suspects last month.
On Monday this week, the State discontinued the earlier matter of attempted child trafficking of four children from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) charged on the four Croatian couples.
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.
The four children in question are being kept by the social welfare department at a facility in Ndola.
The youngest of the four juvenile victims is only 15 months old.
Who is the complainant; the Congolese are zeee? Thus, I don’t see the prosecution team winning this case – due to lack of evidence.
And why is the state paying for their representation? Too many things not adding up!
No, Zambia is not paying for their legal representation.
If anything, Zambia is making good money out of them.
This is now making sense. How can foreign nationals commit a crime such as this one without a local getting involved? I hope this prosecution succeeds.
Can you imagine what they were going to do with those children in Europe if that local knew she would have thought twice
What crime ?
Ever heard of the presumption of innocence ?
Irena – So what does a member of a Croatian punk rock band want with African children? Croatia is not a wealth country there too is depreviation I am sure there are children in need of adoption.
Tis bcuz of the vast corruption that PF left behind in every arm of GRZ.
Tarino Orange
Adoption process in Croatia is a lengthy procedure to say the least. And the people in question are not so young any more, one last chance perhaps for most of them.
In any case, there is no hidden agenda here. No child will be exploited, no prostitution and/or cobalt mines, no domestic labour, or anything like it.
Just ordinary childhood every parent would wish for their child.
PS. Yes, there’re some people and children in difficult situations in Croatia. But it’s not even remotely comparable to DR Congo.
And these people were released momentarily if they had funds they would be out of the waters in Croatia by now. I stated at the time that this case had so many question marks.
This immigration official, if proven guilty, should be imprisoned too for her participation in child trafficking.
A upnd official implicated. No surprises there. He was after a bribe
Please ignore this UK based Impostor it is phishing…life can be borrowing in England if you are not sharp upstairs!!
What we don’t know is if the adoptions were legal in Congo. If DRC says the adoptions are legal zambia is wasting their time. These reports are not giving us this info, there is an opportunity for the reporters to do more digging for their reDers
When is this circus going to stop
In bits and pieces things get a bit clear. The Zambian is part of the trafficking ring?? Or was she just promised a lump sum payment for this one deal?
She must have been promised a big lump sum probably ate all of it until the seniors like Judiciary sniffed it and wanted a share but that was not forthcoming so they threw her in the den as well.
The rotten era of PF govt left cobwebs of corruption ,abuse of office and pay to play culture that we see here.
Since they have been incarcerated, 40 000 euros left their pockets, as they said. Game goes on.