PAMPLONA/BARCELONA, 9 (EUROPA PRESS)
The court investigating the alleged «sale» of a 14-year-old girl, residing in Navarra, to another family in Lleida for a forced marriage has been archived as the girl declared that her stay in the Catalan town is «voluntary».
According to sources close to the investigation, despite «clear evidence» of the girl being «sold», the testimony of the young girl, stating that she is «voluntarily» in Lleida and engaged in begging «because she wanted to», led the judge to «archive» the case.
Additionally, sources from the Conselleria de Derechos Sociales de la Generalitat informed Europa Press that the minor is no longer under the guardianship and protection of the Direcció General de Prevenció i Protecció de la Infància i l’Adolescència (DGPPIA).
This Saturday, it was reported that the Guardia Civil had arrested the parents of a 14-year-old girl in Navarra for allegedly «selling» her to another family in Lleida for marriage to their son. With the collaboration of the Mossos d’Esquadra, two other men and a woman were also arrested as responsible for the purchase and transfer of the minor. They all face charges of human trafficking for forced marriage.
The events date back to January in a town in the Ribera de Navarra. The parents of the 14-year-old girl, a 35-year-old man and woman, allegedly «sold» their daughter to another family in Lleida for marriage to their son.
The minor, belonging to a Romani community, was taken to Catalonia, «where she remained under the control of the buying family with the purpose of consummating the forced marriage». The girl, who was not in school, was forced to beg to contribute money to the buying family, as reported by the Guardia Civil on Saturday.
A report from Social Services initiated an investigation by the Women-Child Team (EMUME) of the Guardia Civil in Navarra. Upon learning of the situation, authorities coordinated with Mossos d’Esquadra to locate the victim in the province of Lleida. Finally, last October, the minor was found in Les Borges Blanques. Mossos d’Esquadra officers transferred the minor to a protection center.
In Navarra, the parents of the victim were arrested and brought before the Court of Tudela. In Lleida, Mossos d’Esquadra detained three individuals, two men aged 40 and 20, and a 42-year-old woman, who were then placed before the Court of First Instance and Instruction of Lleida. They all face charges of human trafficking for forced marriage.
TSJC
The Superior Court of Justice of Catalonia (TSJC) reported on Sunday that the Lleida court received the three detainees located in Mollerussa (Lleida) on Saturday for alleged crimes of human trafficking for forced marriage and child begging, related to a minor who, at that time, was under the protection of the Public Administration.
During the interrogation of the detainees, the Lleida court learned of an open case in a court in Navarra and issued a protection and non-communication order concerning the three detainees and the minor.
The TSJC states that the Lleida court complied with the necessary transfer for the case to continue in Navarra.