McBride finally clears his name

Johannesburg - A year after his arrest in Mozambique on charges of gun-running, the former African National Congress guerrilla…

Johannesburg - A year after his arrest in Mozambique on charges of gun-running, the former African National Congress guerrilla, Mr Robert McBride - a descendant of the Irish volunteer, Major John McBride, who fought for the Boers in the Anglo-Boer War - has been vindicated in his long quest to clear his name, Patrick Laurence reports.

His Johannesburg lawyer, Mr Jose Nascimento, said Mr McBride, a suspended senior official in the Department of Foreign Affairs, was notified by the Mozambique authorities late last week that all charges would be withdrawn against him. The judgment acknowledging that the charges were unsubstantiated is expected to be delivered to Mr McBride today, his wife, Paula, said yesterday.