Zimbabwean Man Arrested in South Africa on UK Murder Charges

South African police arrested Ndodana Mkhanyisi Tshuma, a 45-year-old Zimbabwean man also known as Mark, in a Johannesburg suburb on Saturday. The arrest ended a five-day international search and came one day after he left the UK. Tshuma faces three counts of murder authorized by UK prosecutors.

The charges relate to the deaths of his wife, aged 42, and their daughters, aged 15 and 5. Their bodies were found at the family home in Great Denham on July 7. Tshuma flew from London Heathrow to Dubai on July 4 and then continued to Johannesburg.

He had traveled through Zimbabwe before entering South Africa, Bedfordshire Police said. The suspect was located within hours of the operation, which received support from Interpol, according to South African Police Service National Spokesman Brigadier Athlenda Mathe.

"The Crown Prosecution Service has authorised three charges of murder against Ndodana Mkhanyisi Tshuma following the deaths of his wife and two daughters," said Emma Davies, Chief Crown Prosecutor at the Crown Prosecution Service.

Tshuma has been remanded in custody. Work is under way to return him to the UK under an existing extradition treaty between South Africa and Britain. "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," said Detective Inspector Lee Martin of Bedfordshire Police.