Murder accused Ndodana Mkhanyisi Tshuma, made a brief court appearance at the Johannesburg Magistrate Court.
Image: Itumeleng English/ ANA Studio
Murder-accused and United Kingdom fugitive Ndodana Mkhanyisi Tshuma briefly appeared in the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court on Monday following his weekend arrest in Kensington.
The matter was postponed to July 22 to enable verification of Tshuma’s immigration status in South Africa, State prosecutor Henry Mbobo said.
British authorities are still seeking the extradition of Tshuma, accused of murdering his wife and two daughters in Great Denham, Bedfordshire, on July 6.
He faces three counts of murder relating to the deaths of his wife, Zandile and their two daughters, 15-year-old Natalie and 5-year-old Nala.
Adding to the gravity of the matter, it was revealed that Tshuma was found in possession of a 9mm firearm at the time of his arrest.
Defence lawyer Chrispin Machingura indicated that the defence was amenable to the postponement, stating: "We are engaging with the State. We will assess the position by 22 July and see what progress has been made, and we have discussed the matter and are in agreement that it be postponed until 22 July."
The suspect's alleged crimes have sent shockwaves in communities both in South Africa and the UK. Reports detail that Tshuma's wife and their daughters were discovered dead in their Bedfordshire home more than a week prior to his arrest.
Authorities had initially believed that Tshuma fled to Zimbabwe following the killings, prompting an international manhunt.
According to police, Tshuma's route to Johannesburg included travel from Heathrow to Dubai, before landing at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg.
It is believed that he may have briefly returned to Zimbabwe before settling in Johannesburg. His arrest was the result of a collaborative operation involving the South African Police Service and Interpol, following the issuance of an Interpol Red Notice, which signifies his wanted status on an international scale.
Police spokesperson, Brigadier Athlenda Mathe indicated that the 45-year-old was not flagged as a fugitive when he first landed in the country.
"When he landed on 5 July, he was not flagged because the UK authorities only discovered the bodies on 6 July. He was not yet circulated as a fugitive. Despite that, our teams acted before the red notice was issued, which shows commendable cooperation and intelligence work," Mathe said.
Cape Times