8 Croats in court in Zambia on child trafficking charge – The Associated Press – en Español

LUSAKA, Zambia (AP) — Eight Croatian nationals have pleaded not guilty to charges of child trafficking before a magistrates court in Ndola, Zambia.They were named in court documents as Damir Magic, 44, Nadica Magic, 45, Zoran Subosic, 52, Azra Imamovic Subosic, 41, Ladislav Persic, 42, Aleksandra Persic, 40, Noah Kraljevic, 45, and Ivona Kraljevic, 46.The eight pleaded not guilty before magistrate David Makalichi in Ndola, Copperbelt province. They are defended by a legal aid lawyer, Kelvin Silwimba. The court session was attended by Croatian officials.In the charges brought before the court, the Croatians are accused of attempting to traffic four named children late last year into Zambia “for the purpose of exploitation.”Media in Croatia had reported that the detained Croats were four couples and that they included Zoran Subosic, a guitarist for well-known band Hladno Pivo, or Cold Beer.ADVERTISEMENTThey said that the children had come from Congo and had been granted Croatian citizenship by courts in Croatia based on allegedly forged documents.This has prompted Croatia’s Supreme Court to issue a warning to lower courts working on similar cases to check thoroughly any such documents where couples are seeking to adopt children. The suspects left court after the brief hearing, and boarded a bus to be returned to a detention facility.The case is expected to continue before the Ndola court, with another hearing on Thursday.

LUSAKA, Zambia (AP) — Eight Croatian nationals have pleaded not guilty to charges of child trafficking before a magistrates court in Ndola, Zambia.

They were named in court documents as Damir Magic, 44, Nadica Magic, 45, Zoran Subosic, 52, Azra Imamovic Subosic, 41, Ladislav Persic, 42, Aleksandra Persic, 40, Noah Kraljevic, 45, and Ivona Kraljevic, 46.

The eight pleaded not guilty before magistrate David Makalichi in Ndola, Copperbelt province.

They are defended by a legal aid lawyer, Kelvin Silwimba. The court session was attended by Croatian officials.

In the charges brought before the court, the Croatians are accused of attempting to traffic four named children late last year into Zambia “for the purpose of exploitation.”

Media in Croatia had reported that the detained Croats were four couples and that they included Zoran Subosic, a guitarist for well-known band Hladno Pivo, or Cold Beer.

They said that the children had come from Congo and had been granted Croatian citizenship by courts in Croatia based on allegedly forged documents.

This has prompted Croatia’s Supreme Court to issue a warning to lower courts working on similar cases to check thoroughly any such documents where couples are seeking to adopt children.

The suspects left court after the brief hearing, and boarded a bus to be returned to a detention facility.

The case is expected to continue before the Ndola court, with another hearing on Thursday.

Southern Africa

Mozambique peace agreement signed – The Herald

Mozambique peace agreement signed

The Herald, October 5, 1992
MOZAMBICAN President Joaquim Chissano and MNR leader Mr Afonso Dhlakama yesterday signed the long-awaited peace treaty to end 16 years of armed conflict that has devastated their country and killed more than one million people.
The seven-point agreement comes into effect as soon as it is ratified by the Mozambican parliament, most likely this week. However, the formal ceasefire to be monitored by the United Nations could take up to 60 more days to negotiate although the date is expected to be set soon after the ratification.
Doubts still linger over the treaty’s effectiveness with the MNR’s track record on past agreements and the problems the movement admits it has in controlling all its fighters. The treaty includes the following points:
Within a month of ratification, all government troops must gather in 29 assembly points and all MNR combatants in 20 such points. UN peace-keepers will distribute food at these points as an incentive.
All Zimbabwean troops must withdraw from the Beira and Limpopo corridors within a month of ratification.
All weapons must be handed over to the United Nations. The disbandment of all armed groups must be complete within six months.
A new armed forces of 15 000 to 50 000 men will be set up with the men drawn equally from both the present government and MNR forces.
Both parties will respect political rights and guarantee the personal security of all Mozambican citizens.
The Mozambican parliament will be asked to adopt as law the protocols and guarantees agreed to yesterday as well as the peace agreement itself.
The government will not act contrary to the protocols and will not apply existing laws that are contrary to the peace protocols.
The MNR will respect the conditions and guarantees in the agreement. It will stop fighting after the ceasefire is in effect and will conduct its political campaigns within the framework of the law.
The international community and, in particular, the United Nations, will be asked to monitor the peace process and the first Mozambican multi-party elections.
A conference of major aid donors is to be called within the coming month.
It is expected that movement into assembly points will start within a week of ratification and that the withdrawal of the Zimbabwean forces will start at the same time. The logjam was broken on August 7 after personal diplomacy by President Mugabe, the leader of the neighbour with the most to gain from peace in Mozambique.
Mr Dhlakama dropped a bombshell on Monday last week when he announced he would not sign the deal. President Chissano and Cde Mugabe were already on their way to Rome. – Ziana-Reuter-Herald Reporter.
LESSONS FOR TODAY

Armed conflicts are a bane affecting the world especially the African continent, because of the devastating effects that they bring such as deaths and injury of millions of people. They also cause displacements and hinder development.
The 16 year-old armed conflict did not only affect Mozambique but also had a huge impact on Zimbabwe, which relies on Mozambican ports such as Beira for its fuel imports.
A good turn deserves another. Mozambique was very instrumental in ensuring that Zimbabwe gets independence and Zimbabwe returned the favour by playing a major part in mediating to end the armed civil war in that country.

Mozambique peace agreement signed

The Herald, October 5, 1992

MOZAMBICAN President Joaquim Chissano and MNR leader Mr Afonso Dhlakama yesterday signed the long-awaited peace treaty to end 16 years of armed conflict that has devastated their country and killed more than one million people.

The seven-point agreement comes into effect as soon as it is ratified by the Mozambican parliament, most likely this week. However, the formal ceasefire to be monitored by the United Nations could take up to 60 more days to negotiate although the date is expected to be set soon after the ratification.

Doubts still linger over the treaty’s effectiveness with the MNR’s track record on past agreements and the problems the movement admits it has in controlling all its fighters. The treaty includes the following points:

Within a month of ratification, all government troops must gather in 29 assembly points and all MNR combatants in 20 such points. UN peace-keepers will distribute food at these points as an incentive.

All Zimbabwean troops must withdraw from the Beira and Limpopo corridors within a month of ratification.

All weapons must be handed over to the United Nations. The disbandment of all armed groups must be complete within six months.

A new armed forces of 15 000 to 50 000 men will be set up with the men drawn equally from both the present government and MNR forces.

Both parties will respect political rights and guarantee the personal security of all Mozambican citizens.

The Mozambican parliament will be asked to adopt as law the protocols and guarantees agreed to yesterday as well as the peace agreement itself.

The government will not act contrary to the protocols and will not apply existing laws that are contrary to the peace protocols.

The MNR will respect the conditions and guarantees in the agreement. It will stop fighting after the ceasefire is in effect and will conduct its political campaigns within the framework of the law.

The international community and, in particular, the United Nations, will be asked to monitor the peace process and the first Mozambican multi-party elections.

A conference of major aid donors is to be called within the coming month.

It is expected that movement into assembly points will start within a week of ratification and that the withdrawal of the Zimbabwean forces will start at the same time. The logjam was broken on August 7 after personal diplomacy by President Mugabe, the leader of the neighbour with the most to gain from peace in Mozambique.

Mr Dhlakama dropped a bombshell on Monday last week when he announced he would not sign the deal. President Chissano and Cde Mugabe were already on their way to Rome. – Ziana-Reuter-Herald Reporter.

LESSONS FOR TODAY

Armed conflicts are a bane affecting the world especially the African continent, because of the devastating effects that they bring such as deaths and injury of millions of people. They also cause displacements and hinder development.
The 16 year-old armed conflict did not only affect Mozambique but also had a huge impact on Zimbabwe, which relies on Mozambican ports such as Beira for its fuel imports.
A good turn deserves another. Mozambique was very instrumental in ensuring that Zimbabwe gets independence and Zimbabwe returned the favour by playing a major part in mediating to end the armed civil war in that country.

Southern Africa

2 Zinara officials bypass system, install own ‘gates’ – The Herald

2 Zinara officials bypass system, install own ‘gates’

Yeukai Karengezeka Court Correspondent

TWO Zimbabwe National Road Administration (Zinara) revenue clerks yesterday appeared in court for allegedly installing a boom override system illegally and collecting money for their personal use.

Tariro Mhuka (26) and Henderson Msowa (39) appeared before Harare regional magistrate Mrs Marehwanazvo Gofa facing fraud charges.

They were granted US$200 bail each and remanded to November 30.

Zinara is the complainant, represented by its risk and loss control manager, Mr Tawanda Marenga.

The two were operating from Zinara’s Eskbank Tollgate along the Harare-Bindura highway.

Some of their duties included collection of revenue from the motoring public and remitting the collected revenue to the senior revenue clerk at the close of business.

Prosecuting, Mr Pardon Dziva alleged that on July 18, the two connived to steal from Zinara using a 10-10 Technologies (Private) Limited information system.

The company, 10-10 Technologies, is the system provider for Zinara.

Mhuka and Msowa were allegedly working together with other Zinara employees, who have since been arrested and arraigned before the court.

Others are still at large.

It is understood that after the installation of the illegal system that would bypass the normal operating system, the suspects collectively received tolling funds from the motoring public, purporting that the funds would be channelled to Zinara, when in fact they would convert the funds to their own use.

The court heard on July 20, the Zinara risk and loss control department discovered the offence through CCTV footage, prompting them to report the matter to the police.

Investigations were instituted and it was established that the boom override installations were fitted without the knowledge and consent of Zinara and also without the knowledge of 10-10 Technologies.

On July 26, a team from CID Commercial Crimes went to 10-10 Technologies and they confirmed that they had not authorised the installation of the boom override system at the Eskbank Tollgate.

The State also has CCTV footage showing Mhuka and Msowa committing the crime.

Zinara is yet to establish the total prejudice, and so far, nothing has been recovered.

Southern Africa

2 Zinara officials bypass system, install own ‘gates’ – The Herald

2 Zinara officials bypass system, install own ‘gates’

Yeukai Karengezeka Court Correspondent
TWO Zimbabwe National Road Administration (Zinara) revenue clerks yesterday appeared in court for allegedly installing a boom override system illegally and collecting money for their personal use.
Tariro Mhuka (26) and Henderson Msowa (39) appeared before Harare regional magistrate Mrs Marehwanazvo Gofa facing fraud charges.
They were granted US$200 bail each and remanded to November 30.
Zinara is the complainant, represented by its risk and loss control manager, Mr Tawanda Marenga.
The two were operating from Zinara’s Eskbank Tollgate along the Harare-Bindura highway.
Some of their duties included collection of revenue from the motoring public and remitting the collected revenue to the senior revenue clerk at the close of business.
Prosecuting, Mr Pardon Dziva alleged that on July 18, the two connived to steal from Zinara using a 10-10 Technologies (Private) Limited information system.
The company, 10-10 Technologies, is the system provider for Zinara.
Mhuka and Msowa were allegedly working together with other Zinara employees, who have since been arrested and arraigned before the court.
Others are still at large.
It is understood that after the installation of the illegal system that would bypass the normal operating system, the suspects collectively received tolling funds from the motoring public, purporting that the funds would be channelled to Zinara, when in fact they would convert the funds to their own use.
The court heard on July 20, the Zinara risk and loss control department discovered the offence through CCTV footage, prompting them to report the matter to the police.
Investigations were instituted and it was established that the boom override installations were fitted without the knowledge and consent of Zinara and also without the knowledge of 10-10 Technologies.
On July 26, a team from CID Commercial Crimes went to 10-10 Technologies and they confirmed that they had not authorised the installation of the boom override system at the Eskbank Tollgate.
The State also has CCTV footage showing Mhuka and Msowa committing the crime.
Zinara is yet to establish the total prejudice, and so far, nothing has been recovered.