Zambia drops child trafficking charges against 8 Croatians

By NOEL SICHALWE
Associated Press

LUSAKA, Zambia (AP) — A court in Zambia has discharged eight Croatians who were charged with child trafficking. The court dropped the charges against the Croatians — four couples — following applications by their lawyers. When the case came up before Ndola Chief Resident Magistrate Dominic Makalicha, lawyers representing the Croatian couples appealed to the court to discharge the four Croatian couples. Under Zambian laws, the court can discharge accused persons if there is no objection from the prosecutors or if there is insufficient evidence to warrant a conviction. In Croatia, that country’s foreign ministry said the four couples were told to leave Zambia within 48 hours.