Four Croatian couples and their four adopted children travelled from the Zambia capital city of Lusaka on a flight to Dubai on Friday, after the eight adult Croatians were acquitted of child trafficking charges at a court in Ndola.

They are expected in Zagreb on Saturday.

The eight Croats who had been charged with attempted human trafficking in Zambia, were on Thursday acquitted of all the charges. Seven months ago, the four couples were arrested in Ndola, Zambia, where they arrived to take their adopted children from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Their arrest was based on suspicion of the validity of the necessary documents.

On Friday, all the necessary procedure was completed enabling them to leave Zambia with their adopted children, the Croatian government’s spokesman said on Friday evening.

Croatia has protected the rights and interests of its citizens and has provided consular and other assistance to them in accordance with the Croatian Constitution and international law, the government said, and also thanked the Delegation of the EU in Lusaka for its assistance in efforts to enable the Croatians to return to their homeland.