Croatian citizens acquitted of child trafficking charges in Zambia

(Patria) - Eight Croatian citizens have been acquitted of child trafficking charges in a court in Ndola, Zambia.

The judge determined that all documents were valid and that the children were adopted according to all rules.

It is expected that the Croatian citizens will be immediately released, reported Croatian Radio Television.

Four Croatian couples wanted to adopt children from the Democratic Republic of Congo. However, when they tried to board a plane with the children in Ndola, a city near the border with the DRC, on December 7 last year, they were arrested, and the children were placed in a state child welfare institution.

They were charged with attempted human trafficking and document forgery.

The DRC, from where the children were brought, prohibits international adoptions of its citizens, with some exceptions regulated by intergovernmental agreements.

After a month and a half in custody, they were allowed to leave prison on bail on January 23, and on February 6, the state prosecutor withdrew the indictment, and they were given 48 hours to leave Zambia.

However, on February 7, they were arrested again before boarding the plane they intended to use to leave Zambia and were detained again - on the same charges. After paying bail again on February 22, they were released on conditional liberty.

The trial was halted after Judge Mary Mulanda heard all prosecution witnesses and determined that the state had failed to prove the charges against the Croatians and two other accused Zambians, Steven Mulia and Gloria Sakulenga, for alleged child trafficking.