Four Croatian couples, who were facing child trafficking charges in Zambia that were later dismissed by the court, have been rearrested in order to prevent them from leaving the country, local media reported.
The EU citizens were arrested by the local Immigration Department before boarding a flight to leave Zambia. The reports cited an official, who confirmed that the Croatians had been "rearrested on the instructions of NPA (the National Prosecutions Authority)" on charges still unspecified.
The eight Europeans were first arrested on December 7 suspected of trafficking four children that they said they had adopted in DR Congo. They pleaded not guilty and the charges were lifted last Monday.
It was reported that the eight arrested are Zoran Subosic, 52, who plays guitar in a well-known band called Hladno Pivo, or Cold Beer; Immovic Subosic, 41, an administrator; Damir Magic, 44, an electrical technician; Nadic Magic, 45, a technician; Ladislav Persic, 42, a medical doctor; Aleksandra Persic, 43, a hair salon attendant; Noah Kraljevic, 40, a program director; and Ivona Kraljevic, 36, a dog handler.
Recently, South African Gerhard Ackerman, accused of child trafficking and running a child sex ring, was rearrested and denied bail after an alleged escape attempt. His accomplice, Paul Kennedy, a senior lawyer and acting judge, had earlier committed suicide.