A man has been charged with three counts of murder following the death of his wife and two daughters in Bedfordshire.
Ndodana Mkhanyisi Tshuma, 45, was arrested in South Africa, police in the country said on Friday.
Shortly after his arrest, in Kensington, Johannesburg, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in the UK said it had authorised charges against him.
Nothabo Zandile Tshuma, 42, known as Zandile; Natalie, 15; and Nala, five, were found dead in a £1.3 million detached house in Carnoustie Drive, Great Denham, near Bedford, after concerns were raised on Monday that they had not been seen for several days.
Emma Davies, Chief Crown 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.
“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.”
Tshuma was arrested following “an intensive operation involving the SAPS Interpol National Central Bureau, Crime Intelligence and the Organised Crime Investigation Unit”, the South African Police Service (Saps) said in a statement on X on Friday.
Saps said the suspect, a British citizen of Zimbabwean heritage who goes by Mark, was traced and arrested “through swift operational coordination and intelligence-led policing”.
“This arrest demonstrates that South Africa is not a safe haven for fugitives. Anyone who believes they can evade justice by fleeing to our country should know that SAPS will work tirelessly with international law enforcement partners to trace, locate and arrest them,” said Lieutenant General Puleng Dimpane, the Acting National Commissioner of the South African Police Service.
Police in Britain said it is believed Tshuma travelled to South Africa from Zimbabwe, after leaving the country on July 4.
Detective Inspector Lee Martin, senior investigating officer at Bedfordshire Police, 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.”
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