Bona is an A-Level pupil in Zimbabwe.
McCartney ' whose office was so embarrassed that it issued a retraction ' lied on Monday during the House of Commons' habitual sessions on Zimbabwe in response to Tory MP for Rochford and Southend East James Duddridge's questions on whether it was true that Bona was studying in London; and if so, who was paying her fees.
Claimed McCartney: "The first part of your question, I understand that is the case. The second part, I am not certain about that, but I will write to you and give a copy to the House."
He also suggested he was seriously considering extending travel bans imposed on top Zanu-PF and government officials to the Zimbabwean president's children.
"I believe the travel ban, we should consider seriously extending that to children of the family," he said.
McCartney, whose remarks were widely circulated by Sky News and other Western media, however, ate humble pie when the London School of Economics dismissed his claims, forcing a spokesperson in his ministry to issue a face-saving statement saying he would apologise to the House over his "misrecollection".
Zimbabwe presidential spokesman George Charamba this week said the falsehoods were hardly surprising as the British administration was a government of "incredible lies".
"Bona is in a local high school reading for her Upper Six. She will only be ready (for university) after her present studies. This is not surprising, the Blair government is a government of lies, incredible lies.
"What kind of government is it that declares war on schoolchildren? This obviously brings out the deep, vengeful spite at the heart of the British government led by Tony Blair which does not appear to know that there are minors in this world," he said.
One of Bona's teachers echoed Charamba's remarks, saying:
"She (Bona) is definitely here at school, has been here since Grade One and writes her A-Levels this year. Let's leave it at that."
McCartney's fibs put into perspective numerous sensationalised allegations made by the British government on the situation in Zimbabwe that go unquestioned because of the strategic travel ban it imposed on Government officials to prevent them from challenging and exposing the fabrications.
Since the Labour government shirked its obligations to fund land reforms in Zimbabwe in 1997, it has gone on a concerted demonisation campaign to tarnish Harare in the hope of mobilising world opinion behind its regime change agenda.
Only last week, the British ambassador to the United Nations moved a motion to have Zimbabwe on the Security Council agenda, a move that was thwarted by South Africa which said the problems in Zimbabwe were political and did not in any way threaten international peace and security. ' The Herald.
