South African police arrest British murder suspect

Ndodana Mkhanyisi Tshuma is wanted over the alleged killing of his wife and two daughters in the UK and faces extradition proceedings

South African police have arrested a British citizen wanted in the UK over the alleged murders of his wife and two young daughters, saying he was found with an illegal firearm in Johannesburg.

The 45-year-old suspect, Ndodana Mkhanyisi Tshuma, who is of Zimbabwean origin, was due to make his first appearance at the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court on Monday, according to South African Police Service (SAPS) national spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe. She said Tshuma would appear before the court on two separate matters: extradition proceedings to the UK and a charge of possessing an illegal firearm in South Africa.

Mathe confirmed that South Africa had received a provisional extradition request from Interpol Manchester through Interpol Pretoria, outlining the allegations against Tshuma relating to the deaths of his wife and two daughters. ”We will be awaiting a full extradition request within 40 days that will include the UK case docket, as well as supporting evidence,” Mathe said, adding that the second matter before the court relates to the illegal firearm allegedly found in Tshuma’s possession.

”We are tracing the suspects responsible for selling him this unlicensed firearm,” she said. Explaining the extradition process, Mathe said the provisional request includes the arrest warrant issued by UK authorities. ”We will be awaiting the full extradition request within 40 days that will include the entire UK case docket, as well as supporting evidence. It will then be up to the court to determine when he will be extradited back to the UK,” she noted.

Mathe stressed SAPS had worked closely with UK authorities through Interpol throughout the investigation. ”We are all Interpol member countries. We share intelligence, we share information, and we assist each other with cross-border and international investigations,” she said.

Asked whether Tshuma had been harboured or assisted while in South Africa, Mathe said investigators had found no evidence to suggest that he had been protected. ”Absolutely not. He was not harboured. We worked closely with different stakeholders, including his family, to apprehend him,” she said.

Tshuma was arrested in Kensington, Johannesburg, on Friday during a coordinated operation involving the SAPS Interpol National Central Bureau, Crime Intelligence and the Organised Crime Investigation Unit. UK authorities are seeking his extradition in connection with the deaths of his wife, 42-year-old Nothabo Zandile Tshuma, and their daughters, Natalie, 15, and Nala, 5.

The three victims were found at the family’s home in Great Denham, near Bedford, after police forced entry on Monday following concerns that they had not been seen for several days.

Acting National Commissioner Lt Gen Puleng Dimpane praised the officers involved in the operation, describing the arrest as an example of effective cooperation between specialised SAPS units and international law enforcement partners.

According to Sky News, Tshuma left the UK on Saturday, two days before the bodies were discovered, flying from London Heathrow Airport to Zimbabwe on a British passport. Police later released CCTV images of him at the airport as part of efforts to trace his whereabouts. ITV News reported that Tshuma owns and operates a property business, Nexus Trove Holdings, from his home in Great Denham. The company’s latest filings show it held assets of just over £1 million (about R24 million) at the end of 2024.

First published by IOL