Zimbabwean charged with triple murder after suspect arrested in South Africa following wife and daughters' deaths

Zimbabwean charged with triple murder after suspect arrested in South Africa following wife and daughters' deaths The mother and her two girls were found dead at their family home earlier this week Don't Miss Most Read A Zimbabwean man has been charged with three murder charges after the suspect was arrested in South Africa following his wife and daughters' deaths. Nothabo Zandile Tshuma, who also goes by Mark, was detained by South African police earlier today after he left the UK last Saturday. The Crown Prosecution Service confirmed prosecutors have authorised three charges of murder against the 45-year-old in connection with the deaths. Tshuma first travelled to Dubai from London Heathrow on July 4, where he then understood to have flown to Johannesburg in South Africa. TRENDING Stories Videos Your Say His wife, Nothabo Zandile Tshuma, 42, and two daughters, five and 15, were found dead two days later at a property in Great Denham. Emma Davies, Chief cCown Prosecutor from the CPS, said: "The Crown Prosecution Service has authorised three charges of murder against Ndodana Mkhanyisi Tshuma following the deaths of his wife and two daughters. "This comes after the careful review of evidence provided by Bedfordshire Police. "The bodies of Nothabo Zandile Tshuma, 42, known as Zandile, Natalie, 15, and Nala, five, were found at their home in Great Denham on Tuesday, July 7. "Our thoughts remain with Zandile, Natalie and Nala’s loved ones and with everyone affected by what has happened. "As criminal proceedings are active, nothing should be reported, commented on or shared online that could prejudice the defendant’s right to a fair trial." Ndodana Mkhanyisi Tshuma left the UK last Saturday |BEDFORDSHIRE POLICE Following the arrest, South African Police Service National Spokesman Brigadier Athlenda Mathe told the press her team had been supported by Interpol, the international police organisation. Uniting their efforts, the force could track the man down to a suburb in Johannesburg "within a matter of hours". She added: "Let this be a stern warning to criminals across the world that South Africa is not a hiding place for fugitives." It is understood the British suspect who has Zimbabwean heritage, flew to Zimbabwe before he travelled to South Africa. Given South Africa has an extradition treaty with the UK, officials said that Tshuma will be summoned back to the UK for further questioning. Bedfordshire Police confirmed work had started to return Tshuma to the UK. The force said: "It is believed he travelled to South Africa from Zimbabwe, after leaving the country on Saturday. "He has been remanded in custody and work is now under way to return him to the UK." MORE ON CRIME: The mother and her two girls were found dead at their family home on Monday |PA Detective Inspector Lee Martin, the senior investigating officer, thanked the "tireless work" of police authorities across the globe. In a statement, he said: "This has been a fast-moving investigation which has involved multiple law enforcement partners, including the National Crime Agency, Interpol and authorities in both Zimbabwe and South Africa. "Thanks to the tireless work and dedication of all those involved, we have managed to swiftly locate and arrest Ndodana Mkhanyisi Tshuma, who we want to speak to in connection with this shocking and tragic case. "Our investigation remains ongoing and we’ll be working closely with our counterparts in South Africa, as well as the National Crime Agency and the Crown Prosecution Service, to bring him back to this country. "Our thoughts remain very much with Zandile, Natalie and Nala, as well as their loved ones, at this time." The five-day international manhunt for Tshuma spanned across the UK, Zimbabwe and South Africa. Ms Tshuma's family even deployed a private investigation company to search for him in Zimbabwe's capital, Harare. A spokesman for the family said: "We are deeply saddened by this tragic loss of life, a young beautiful family that has needlessly lost their lives and future. "We are all grappling to make sense of this tragedy, I don’t know if it will ever be possible for us to find closure." Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter