Eight persons of Croatian ancestry who were detained in Ndola last year on suspicion of trying to smuggle four children out of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have entered a not guilty plea.
The couples with children between the ages of one year, three months and three years old who came before the Ndola magistrate court today were stopped at Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe Airport.
The still-detained spouses also requested bail today, but the prosecution informed the court that they should not be granted bail since they pose a flight risk.
Their attorney, Kelvin Silwimba, said in a bail application that his clients were not a flight risk and that the crime they were accused of was bailable.
He assured us that his clients won’t bother the witnesses.
“They will raise traceable sureties,” he said.
However, senior public prosecutor Francis Mulenga objected to the application stating that the accused persons were a flight risk on account that they are all foreigners.
Magistrate Makalicha adjourned the case to Thursday for commencement of trial and ruling on the bail application.
According to allegations in court, on December 7th of last year, electrical technician Damir Magic and chemical teacher Nadic Magic allegedly sought to traffic a child named Beatrice Magic inside the borders of Zambia for the purpose of exploitation.
Additionally, it is claimed that on the same date, Immovic Subosic, a Constitutional Court administrator, and Subosic Zoran, a musician, attempted to traffic Mariella Kalinde Immovic Subosic within the borders of Zambia for the purpose of exploitation.
Additionally, it is claimed that on December 7, 2016, Ladislav Persic, a veterinarian, and Aleksandra Persic, a dog beautician, attempted to traffic Jona Asnate within the borders of Zambia in order to exploit her.
Additional couples In addition, it is stated that Noah Kraljevic, a human rights activist, and Ivona Kraljevic, a proxy employee at their National Theater, tried to bring Jean Val Kraljevic, a young child, into Zambia for the purpose of exploitation.
