Bedfordshire murder suspect seen with bloodshot eyes after being caught and hauled into court in South Africa

A man accused of a triple-murder in Bedfordshire has been caught and hauled into a court in South Africa.

Ndodana Mkhanyisi Tshuma, 45, has been accused of killing his wife Nothabo Zandile Tshuma, 42, and her daughters Natalie, 15, and Nala, 5, in Great Denham.

Mr Tshuma - a British citizen of Zimbabwean heritage - was arrested by South African officers in Johannesburg on Friday with support from Interpol.

After he was snared, the Crown Prosecution Service authorised three murder charges against him, with South African authorities also accusing him of illegal possession of a firearm - which carries a sentence of up to 15 years in the country.

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The bodies of Mrs Tshuma and her daughters were discovered on July 6, with a post-mortem examination determining their cause of death as blunt force trauma.

The 45-year-old appeared at Johannesburg Central District Magistrates' Court on Monday, where he was seen with "bloodshot eyes" and appeared "incredibly distressed", according to Sky News Africa.

The South African court will determine whether he should be extradited back to Britain to face his charges.

Although the two countries have an extradition treaty in place, South African law requires all suspects to appear before domestic courts before being sent to another country.

Authorities are still determining whether Mr Tshuma - who was remanded into custody - is in the country illegally.

Following his arrest, a South African police spokeswoman said: "According to our investigation, after landing in South Africa on July 5, he then went to ⁠one of the townships and he bought this particular unlicensed firearm."

She confirmed that British authorities have submitted a provisional extradition request, however, a full document has not yet been handed over.

The spokeswoman said that Mr Tshuma's relatives in South Africa played a "very pivotal role" in the murder suspect's capture.

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"His family did not harbour him," she stressed.

The 45-year-old is said to have fled Britain roughly 48 hours before the bodies of his wife and her daughters were discovered.

In a statement following their deaths, relatives said: "The Khumalo family is deeply saddened to confirm the passing of our beloved Zandile [Nothabo] Khumalo and her two children.

"During this time of unimaginable loss, we wish to express our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who has reached out with prayers, messages of comfort, and support.

"Your kindness and compassion have brought great strength to our family."

Following the suspect's arrest, 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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