EIGHT CROATIANS, A ZAMBIAN AND A CONGOLESE TAKE PLEA IN NDOLA HIGH COURT FOR ATTEMPTED TRAFFICKING OF CHILDREN.
The matter in which the four Croatian couples, a Zambian immigration officer and a Congolese took place today before Ndola High Court after they were committed there from Ndola Magistrate’s Court.
The 10 accused persons have jointly been charged with four counts of attempted trafficking of four Congolese children.
In all the four counts they have been charged with the offence of attempted trafficking of children within the territorial boundaries of Zambia for the purposes of exploitation.
When the case came up before Judge Mary Mulanda, the state through Innocent Kamunga made an application to add two more accused persons to the case.
Amendment was made and the ninth and 10th accused persons, a Zambian senior immigration officer Gloria Sakulenga, 36 and a hospitality personnel of Congo based in Zambia Steve Mulija ,43, respectively, were included to allow the 10 accused persons to be jointly charged.
They have all pleaded not guilty to the charge pending starting on trial on Wednesday, April 17, 18 and 19 next week.
All the nine accused persons are on bail except Mulija who is yet to meet his bail conditions and has since remained in remand.
It is alleged that on December 7, last year the 10 while working together attempted to traffic four children to Croatia through Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe International Airport with questionable adoption papers.
They were arrested just before flying out by some alert immigration officers.
