McBride wants his day in court to face abuse charges made by daughter
Ipid boss hopes his other kid will vouch for him as witness
Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) boss Robert McBride has made an about-turn and abandoned his intention to make representations to the National Prosecuting Authority as to why he should not be tried for child abuse.
McBride, who is out on R10 000 bail, is facing a charge of child abuse and an alternate charge of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm for allegedly assaulting his teenage daughter in August last year.
His lawyer Jaco Hamman told the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court yesterday that the decision to abandon the representations was “through counsel and client advice”.
He told Sowetan that McBride had elected to go for trial. This after it also emerged in court that McBride intends calling his younger daughter as a defence witness and that a statement had already been obtained from her.
In November, McBride successfully lobbied magistrate Ignatius du Preez to relax his bail conditions to enable him to have access to his younger daughter, who was a potential state witness, for December holidays.
McBride stood in the dock as Du Preez told him that he was transferring his case to the Pretoria Regional Court. The case was postponed to March 20 for a trial date and for further disclosures to the defence.
McBride has denied assaulting his daughter, saying he had merely admonished her.