8 Croats in Zambia face new child trafficking charges
LUSAKA, Zambia — Eight Croats re-arrested in Zambia will face new child trafficking charges and are expected to appear in court on Thursday, a Zambian official announced.
Earlier this week, a court dropped child trafficking charges against the eight — four couples — and ordered them to leave the country within 48 hours. But when they tried to fly out of Zambia, they were arrested again.
The eight were “detained pending prosecution on reconstituted charges, but remain linked to attempted child trafficking,” Zambian immigration spokesman Namati Nshinka said in a statement.
They are likely to appear in court again on Thursday, Nshinka said.
They are accused of trafficking four children from Congo, between the ages of one and three, the statement said.
On Monday, a court dismissed the child trafficking charges against them at the request of their lawyers. They had previously pleaded not guilty.
The indictment alleged that on December 7 last year, the four couples acted together to traffick the children. The Croats said they adopted the children through a lawyer.
The eight include Zoran Subosic, 52, a guitarist in a well-known band Hladno Pivo, or Cold Beer, and Immovic Subosic, 41, an administrator, according to Croatian media. Others are Damir Magic, 44, an electrical engineer, Nadic Magic, 45, a technician, Ladislav Persic, 42, a doctor, Aleksandra Persic, 43, a hair salon attendant, Noah Kraljevic, 40, a program director, and Ivona Kraljevic, 36, a dog handler.
No statement has been made as to who will care for the young children who would be adopted.