Croatian nationals plead not guilty to the offence of attempted trafficking in four children of Congolese origin

Publication date: 10 January 2023

Eight (8) Croatian nationals have pleaded not guilty to the offence of attempted trafficking in four children of Congolese origin on the Zambian territory.

Appearing before Ndola Chief Resident Magistrate Dominic Makalicha on Tuesday morning, the four couples told the court that they understood the charge but were not guilty.

Particulars of the offence are that Damir Magic aged 44 and seven others on 7th December 2022 in Ndola on the Copperbelt Province jointly and whilst acting together did attempt to traffic a child namely Beatrice Magic within the territorial boundaries of Zambia for the purpose of exploitation.

The offence is contrary to section 3A (1) and 12 of Human Trafficking Act No.11 of 2008 as Amended by Act No.16 of 2022 of the laws of Zambia.

The Croatian suspects are Damir Magic aged 44, his wife Nadica Magic aged 45, Subosic Zoran aged 52, his wife Azra Imamovic Subosic aged 41, Ladislav Persic aged 42, his wife Aleksandr Persic aged 40, Noah Kraljevic aged 45 and his wife Ivona Kraljevic aged 36.

Magistrate Makalicha has since adjourned the case to 12th January 2023 when trial is scheduled to commence.

Meanwhile, the defence lawyer applied for bail on behalf of the accused as Magistrate Makalicha reserved the ruling pending the Thursday court appearance.

Defence lawyer Kelvin Silwimba said the offence his clients were charged with was bailable and that they were not a flight risk.

He contended that his clients will not interfere with the witnesses.

The youngest of the Congolese juvenile victims is aged 1 year and 3 months while the other three are all aged three.

Each couple has been slapped with a one count each.

It is alleged that Subosic Zoran, a musician and Immovic Subosic, a Constitutional Court administrator, on the same date did attempt to traffic a child namely Mariella Kalinde Immovic Subosic within the territorial boundaries of Zambia for the purpose of exploitation.

Furthermore, it is also alleged that Ladislav Persic, a veterinary doctor and Aleksandra Persic a dog beauty stylist on December 7, last year allegedly attempted to traffic a child namely Jona Asnate within the territorial boundaries of Zambia for the purpose of exploitation.

The other couple Noah Kraljevic, a human rights activist and Ivona Kraljevic, a proxy woman at their National Theater are also alleged to have attempted to traffic a child namely Jean Val Kraljevic within the territorial boundaries of Zambia for the purpose of exploitation.

BACKGROUND TO THE CASE

A combined team of Police and Immigration Officers in Ndola last December detained eight suspects after intercepting four young children of Congolese origin suspected to be victims of suspected human trafficking.

Copperbelt Police Commanding Officer Peacewell Mweemba at the time said Immigration officers at Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe Airport apprehend four couples all of Croatian origin after a tip off from the public.

Mr. Mweemba said documents provided by the suspects to do with the alleged adoption of the four children believed to have been issued by the Congolese authority are not genuine and Zambian officials are engaging their Congolese colleagues to verify the documents.

He said Zambian officials were engaging their Congolese colleagues to verify the adoption documents presented by the suspects.

Mr. Mweemba further identified the four child victims.

“Suspected Human Trafficking, be informed that on 06.12.22 at around 20:00hrs, the office of the Divisional Criminal investigations officer received information that there were some three white people who had booked rooms at Spree guesthouse in Kansenshi. They were seen with four young children of Congolese origin. Immediately, the regional immigration officer Mr Steward Chiyaka was informed to organise for some immigration officers to accompany police officers on investigations. The plan was to stop them at Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe at the time of checking in. On 07.12.22 at around 1200hrs, Immigration officers at Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe international Airport managed to intercept and apprehend four couples of Croatian origin, together with four (4) suspected Trafficked children of Congolese nationals,” he said.

“Their particulars are as follows;(1) M/Damir Magic aged 44, passport no. 335086407, and his wife F/Nadica Magic aged 45, passport no.251774604 a couple of Croatian origin. They were with their purported adopted child F/J/ Beatrice – Magic (new parents name) aged 1yr and 3 months of Congo DR, passport no.235045272 issued on 10.11.22.(2) M/Subosic Zoran aged 52, passport no.105013784 and his wife F/Azra Imamovic Subosic aged 41, passport no.313012354, both of Croatian nationals, with their purported adopted child F/J/Mariella Kalinde- Imamovic Subosic aged 3 of Congo DR, passport no.310507680 issued on 22.11.22. (3) M/Ladislav Persic aged 42, passport no.066469016 with his wife F/Aleksandr Persic aged 40, passport no.088641573, Croatian nationals, with their purported adopted child F/J/Kona Asnate- Persic aged 3 of Congo DR, passport no. 026473339, issued on 09.11.22, and (4) M/Noah Kraljevic aged 45, passport no. 267180188 and his wife F/Ivona Kraljevic aged 36, passport no.255816515, Croatian nationals, with their purported adopted child F/J/Jean Val- Kraljevic aged 3 of Congo DR, passport no.021104314 issued on 23.11.22,” Mr. Mweemba stated.

“Preliminary investigations indicate that documents to do with the adoption of the four children believed to have been issued by the Congolese authority are not genuine, and to this effect, the office of the Consular General of Congo DR were engaged through the office of the Regional immigration officer, Mr Chiyaka Steward. The position on the matter will soon be given, since the immigration is carrying out Investigations. The four couples have been detained at Chifubu, Kansenshi, central and Masala police stations, with two each, while the children have been taken to Social welfare facilities to be taken care of. Command will be updated on any development,” Mr. Mweemba said.

29 comments

Tarino Orange January 10, 2023 At 8:58 pm

How can this lawyer say they are not a flight risk when they were caught at the airport.

Only the devil knows what they had planned for these young children..it can be anything from organ transplants, to prostitution because when these children reach Europe they are undocumented and just disappear into the wind. DRC is one of the easilest places in Africa to get these children..these perverts from Europe visit it like they are buying chicken from the supermarket.

12 2

Mwana-Manungu January 10, 2023 At 9:13 pm

I completely agree with you. If the tables were reversed, and an African did this to European children, they would lock him up and throw away the key

Kaizar Zulu January 10, 2023 At 10:00 pm

HHs zambia

1 7

Muna+Dekhane January 10, 2023 At 11:17 pm

Just looking for money from foreigners, just view the picture and posture of Zambians – shameful, at every opportunity the focus is ‘tulyemo’.

4 2

THE PATRIOT January 11, 2023 At 5:37 pm

Stop insulting our Zambian authorities. Who the heck are you? If they don’t do anything about the issue, you’ll be the first one criticizing them for not doing their job. Human trafficking is real. They’ve to make sure by verifying that the adoption claims are genuine. The fact that they’re already appearing in court shows that there’s at least some evidence that something is not right with the adoption claims. So stop insulting our authorities, boy.

Mlevi Kachasu January 11, 2023 At 12:47 am

Rough and poor looking Croatian Basungus doing slave trade-like dirty business.Slavery never ended ,it just evolved .Throw ’em into Mukobeko prison and melt down the keys.

9 2

Chiza Chirwa January 11, 2023 At 1:01 am

Whats with our law enforcement agencies and exposing names of minor and passport numbers sure!

About the case, these people seem to have respectable jobs and they are older and without children, I think its possible they wanted to genuinely adopt but went to a bad country.

Probably they were issued fake adoption papers.

Croatia isn’t known for human trafficking, and since when do traffickers go to aiports?

13 2

Chiza+Chirwa January 11, 2023 At 1:07 am

Whats with our law enforcement agencies and exposing names of minor and passport numbers sure!

About the case, these people seem to have respectable jobs and they are older and without children, I think its possible they wanted to genuinely adopt but went to a bad country.

Probably they were issued fake adoption papers.

Croatia isn’t known for human trafficking, and since when do traffickers go to aiports?

6 1

Cosmos January 11, 2023 At 6:20 am

Agree with Chiza, poor whites from poor white country can’t afford to pay high European fees for adoption . if people smuggling you get 13, 14 yr old girls so you can put them to work not 1 and 3 yr olds

Slavin January 11, 2023 At 7:48 pm

Greetings from Cro. Don’t think in any except to adopt child. Those people have very good jobs, one is famous musician, one has vet ambulance, lady works in the court. I think that our department in charge which registered child as Cro citizens, mixed up two countries, Congo and DRC without malicious. Why they gone for children to Congo, I don’t know but I’m pretty sure in their good intentions, it is not easy to adopt child in Croatia. Sorry for grammar.

4 5

THE PATRIOT January 11, 2023 At 6:32 am

Great job to the Zambian authorities for saving these young children from possible exploitation. Why don’t these Mzungus adopt their own children in Europe? There are poor children in Europe, too. So why come to adopt African children? African countries should ban adoption of children by these Mzungus coming from any Western country. 99.9% of the time, they don’t have good intentions for the children. Investigate these suspects thoroughly, and if proven guilty, give them a 100 years each behind bars.

5 2

Chiza+Chirwa January 11, 2023 At 4:40 pm

Patriot, its about costs. Our friends here hardly have unwanted children. And even when they do, they are quickly placed with foster families. Adoption process takes a very long time and they have very strict requirements. One must be married, no criminal history, certain level of finance and suitable home. In most African and asian countries, you need only to be married and have cash. They don’t care about anything else. As stated by Cosmos, you don’t traffic babies either, you traffic older kids.

Cosmos January 11, 2023 At 2:52 pm

To adopt a child in Europe costs about USD$50,000 to $75000 per child , to say 99,9% of Mzungus have no good intensions where do you get those facts? It’s more like 10%, What about other Africans exploiting children , beating, child labour, prostitute. remember most of these children are abandoned because the family can’t afford them or the father abandoned the family or fails to pay for their upkept.

3 1

THE PATRIOT January 12, 2023 At 12:46 am

@Cosmos, … Abuse of adopted African children in Western countries is real and a serious problem–so serious that Ethiopia and Kenya decided to ban international adoption. Of course we are aware of Africans that exploit children. But that doesn’t mean we also allow Westerners to add to the problem. If they can’t afford to adopt kids in their own Western countries, that’s not Africa’s problem. African children should be adopted by Africans. European children by Europeans. Period.

1 1

neven January 12, 2023 At 11:03 am

Wrong, Adoption costs nothing. You must pass through checking as criminal record, have good incomes, psicho stability, have a partner of opposite gender.

1 1

Cosmos January 12, 2023 At 5:37 pm

Wrong Adoption costs lots in these countries nothing is for free and certified agencies process applications that involves alot more than what you state, plus you have to get the country’s that they are going to immigration to process the application and they do heaps of checks.

Its not like going to the child home and picking the child buy a plane ticket and fly back.

Sasa January 11, 2023 At 9:10 pm

Hello from Croatia.

Gay in red shirt,black pants,crosed hands is a transeksual person.(check croatian newspapers).

One couple is gay couple.

Save your children from those and other western monsters.

For those monstrums i wish long and happy time in African prison.

8 1

Cosmos January 12, 2023 At 5:15 pm

Your not from Croata – according to G O G GLe its legal

“In a landmark decision that put an end to a six-year legal struggle, Croatia’s high administrative court ruled that same-sex couples are eligible to apply for child adoption since any other treatment would be discriminatory and contrary to European tradition.”

John January 12, 2023 At 9:53 am

Noah Kraljevic was born as Dalija Pintaric and is a transexual person who switched their gender and is in a relationship with a lesbian, Ivona Kraljevic.

Noah is not a human rights activist but an LGBTQ+ activist who was named LGBTQ+ person of the year in Croatia and also a local board member of the liberal, left-wing green party “Mozemo!”.

According to Croatian law, it is FORBIDDEN for them to adopt childern and I think it is the same in DR Congo.

Also Subosic Zoran is a guitarist in a pro communist-liberal band, which supports the same political party.

These people have bad intentions and would probably exploit the children in some deranged way.

3 1

Cosmos January 12, 2023 At 5:17 pm

Do a bit of research,– according to G O G GLe its legal

Modri? January 12, 2023 At 2:23 pm

Hello from Croatia! First of all well done to Zambian authorities! Those four couples are just a tip of the iceberg of children trafficking from Kongo to Croatia. If it wasn’t for Zambian authorities the trade would be still going on. You must know that they are leftist activists with strong connections to politics and one of them is a lesbian woman (trans man) that cut off her breasts and uses testosteron hormons to look like a man and to grow a beard and mustache. It is Noah Kraljevi? attempted to be “father”. No child deserves such “family”. In Kongo it is forbidden to foster a child into lesbian or transsexual “marriage”.

2 1

Cosmos January 12, 2023 At 5:18 pm

Your not from Croata – according to G O G GLe its legal

Modric January 12, 2023 At 2:28 pm

If they release Noah Kraljevic and her partner then you know Zambian judge is bribed. It is forbidden to give them children by Croatian, Zambian and Congo’s law!

Cosmos January 12, 2023 At 5:19 pm

Your not from Croata – according to G O G GLe its legal

Modric January 12, 2023 At 6:37 pm

In Croatian Constitution only heterosexual marriage is recognized. No other “civil partnership” can adopt children

Cosmos January 12, 2023 At 5:27 pm

I for one don’t agree with adoption to gays and lesbians but by law its legal in Croatia and the children were not Zambian so Zambia law has no power to detain them, they have not broken our laws, so yes they will get released . there is no case to answer and that’s why they left through Zambia and not Congo to Europe

Stacey January 13, 2023 At 6:59 am

Those children in the first place are exploited in their own country, starting with their parents, if they have them, when they start working in early ages. Many are brought to mining site where they work hard just as adults but for food only. Mercury poisoning shortens their life. In general, to say that Croatian came there to abuse children is so wrong, it is unbelievable. Put your country in order first, then speak about others. So much about generalizations.

And specifically to this case:

If the court finds that papers are not alright, I hope that Zambian law applies, and must apply equally for everybody.

Stipe January 16, 2023 At 4:28 pm

Some rich people in Croatia think it’s cool to have black children, they also think it’s OK for them to break laws of three different countries and some international laws, because they are interconnected with a foreign funded political party in Croatia. Those people can do whatever they want in Croatia, but apparently not in Zambia.

People of Zambia, thank you for doing the job of Croatian institutions, don’t let them buy their way out of this, put them in jail, if possible with some big gay rapists, and throw away the keys!!

Pozdrav iz Hrvatske!

Toni January 16, 2023 At 11:56 pm

Trafficking is a big and very serious problem and we all must fight against it, but I think we deal here with middle age people without children with good intentions and bad advisers.

Prejudices are never good and people should be proven guilty before any kind of condemnation.

You really think they have a better future in Social welfare facilities in Congo or Croatia than with these people.

Countries: Zambia, Croatia, Democratic Republic of The Congo