The re-arrested eight (8) Croatian nationals have been formally slapped with a fresh charge of attempted child trafficking.
And the Zambian authorities have revoked the temporary residence permits granted to the suspects last month.
On Monday, the State discontinued the earlier matter of attempted child trafficking of four children from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) charged on the four couples.
Lawyer representing the Croatians Kelvin Silwimba confirmed that his clients have been charged with attempted child trafficking, the same charges they earlier faced.
The suspects are Damir Magic, Nadia Magic, Subosic Zoran, Azra Immovic Subosic, Ladislav Persic, Aleksandra Persic, Noah Kraljevic and Ivona Kraljevic.
Mr. Silwimba from Zambia National Legal Aid Board said law enforcement officers have recorded warn and caution statements from the suspects.
“Yes I can confirm that officers recorded warn and caution statements from our clients and have been since been charged. Their temporary residence permits have also been taken away,” he said.
He said the eight were apprehended shortly after they purchased their air tickets to leave for their country.
Mr Silwimba said his clients are in custody at Kansenshi Correctional Facility in Ndola.
Department of Immigration Public Relations officer Namati Nshinka earlier confirmed the department received instructions from the National Prosecution Authority (NPA) to have the 8 Croatians re-arrested.
“The Department of Immigration has re-arrested the Eight (8) Croatian nationals Damir Magic, Nadia Magic, Subosic Zoran, Azra Immovic Subosic, Ladislav Persic, Aleksandra Persic, Noah Kraljevic, and Ivona Kraljevic, after the case in which they were alleged to have attempted to traffic Four (4) Congolese children aged between one and three years was on 6th February 2023 discontinued by way of Nolle Prosecqui. The Croatians were on 7th February 2023 re-arrested by Immigration Officers and detained pending prosecution on reconstituted charges but still related to attempted child trafficking. They are likely to re-appear in Court on 9th February 2023,” Mr. Nshinka said.
The eight were 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.
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 the old 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.
They have failed to arrest the price of fuel and mealiemeal so they are going after easy targets. I am on my way to pay solidarity to our president his excellence ECL. To me he remains president of this country. Shusha up0n0kwe
Iwe kambwanga iwe KAISA SULU ala leke miponto, mwaiche. Iwe nomunobe Lungu, you’re supposed to be behind bars for all the corruption crimes you committed. Call the prison authorities to take you in.
It took 10 years for the last government lead by ECL
to bring the economy to its knees
Now some jokers want it repaired in under 2 years
Laughable
NPA discontinues case, NPA gives instructions to arrest again.
Please be serious.
Either prosecute to the fullest or stop the case.
Why did immigration have to revock their residence in Zambia as a result of the arrest? They still have to be in the country legally as we subject them to this back and fourth.
Why did they revoke their residence? To make them pay again, simple as that.
Zambian NPA may not be very good at prosecuting but they are damn good at making money.
Kaizar Zulu and this government make Zambia look like a country wit only comedians.
In Zambia we joke too much. Wankuku is still serving 10 years
Looks like someone influenced NPA to re-arrest and also influenced immigration to revoke their temporary permits.
No other u-turns I hope. Be serious, and get to the bottom of this.
Noah Kraljevic is – supposedly – a Human Rights activist. So, I expect, he is conversant with what would be a breache of human rights. How then does he think it’s alright to take a child without first establishing a sound relationship with the child over several months? There is also the matter of ‘adoptive parents’ suitability assessment. Were the Croatians assessed for suitability – if so, by whom?? Have the Congolese been contacted? If none of this took place, Kraljevic isn’t a sound HR activist. He is a phoney; or, is it a case of: watered down human rights for Africans?
Theres no way disorganised DRC would assess any would be adopter/trafficker. The Croatians must have known this. Milan seems to know more about this racket
Noah Kraljevic is transgender. Before her name was Dalija Pintaric.
Investigate these people thoroughly. If it’s true they were engaging in child trafficking, they should receive prison time. Most Croatians are already in support of what Zambia is doing. This is not the 1800s when Mzungus would just walk into Africa and do whatever the heck they wanted. This is the new Africa. Throw the book at them, to deter others from trafficking in Africans.
Put them into a jain. Greeting from Croatia! Good job Zambians!
Lux, why are you guys against them adopting? Is it because one is transgender? What is the general feeling in Croatia over this matter?
@Chiza. The Croatian public generally has nothing against transgender people, but such people do not have the legal right to adopt children in Croatia. They got papers in Croatia through suspicious means, probably with fake papers from the Congo. Some people in Croatia think it’s fashionable to have children from Africa. That’s fine, but only if it’s legal, this is about buying children and that should be prevented.
Thanks Milan for being objective. Africans are not against adoption. But it has to be done legal. Human trafficking is evil, whether it’s done in Europe or in Africa.
The Zambian judiciary has the full support of the Croatian public. It is about buying children from the Congo that these “adoptors” have never seen before. Where did the manager of the orphanage where the children were sold disappear to?
Chiza Chirwa. The Croatian public generally has nothing against transgender people, but such people do not have the legal right to adopt children in Croatia. They got papers in Croatia through suspicious means, probably with fake papers from the Congo. Some people in Croatia think it’s fashionable to have children from Africa. That’s fine, but only if it’s legal, this is about buying children and that should be prevented.
Children are not goods! True parents are ready to die for their children and the arrested Croatians immediately wanted to go to Croatia without asking where their “adopted” children are. That’s strange, that shows that they have no love for the children. Turkish father held his dead daughter’s hand in runes for hours after earthquakes. That’s parental love.
@Chiza Chirwa
Croats are very tolerant people. However, most people think that it is not good for a child to grow up in a transsexual or homosexual couple. And according to Croatian law, a trans person is not allowed to adopt a child. But, Noah Kraljevic, formerly Dalija Pintaric, then Noa Pintaric, broke Croatian constitution by marrying a woman, and now the two want to adopt another child. This is not good. Children are not goods!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SweR4J5tTIE
I have never seen this in Ndola. Kansenshi Correctional Facility. Where is it?
The Croatia is not safe for African children, in last few years there were at least few hundreds African children brought to Croatia – and nobody knows where are they. Are they still in the country or they are sold again.
When white Croatian child is adopted – the Croatian institutions are monitoring the families and the child for years. When black African child is “adopted” then nobody cares.
This is pure example of child trafficking. Jail those child traffickers and throw the keys away please. We don’t want those people back in Croatia. I hope justice can be served. Greetings from Croatia with hope that those creatures will be sentenced 30 years with hard labour.
This is pure example of child trafficking. Jail those child traffickers and throw the keys away please. We don’t want those people back in Croatia. I hope justice can be served. Greetings from Croatia with hope that those creatures will be sentenced 30 years with hard labour.
They should have proper trial,
It is not possible to adopt children from DRC. Intercountry adoptions from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) were suspended pursuant to a 2016 DRC law