A man accused of killing his wife and two daughters in the UK has admitted unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition in South Africa.<\/b><\/p>\n
Nothabo Zandile Tshuma, 42, and her daughters Natalie, 15, and Nala, five, were found with fatal head injuries in Great Denham, near Bedford, on 7 July.<\/p>\n
Ndodana Mkhanyisi Tshuma, 45, was arrested in Johannesburg after leaving the UK. Local police said he was found with a gun and ammunition he had bought in South Africa. He has appeared before magistrates in the city for a plea hearing.<\/p>\n
The Crown Prosecution Service in England has authorised three murder charges against Tshuma and an extradition hearing is due to take place in South Africa on Thursday.<\/p>\n
The defendant, who is also known as Mark Tshuma, is a British citizen of Zimbabwean heritage.<\/p>\n
He could face sentencing for the gun offences later.<\/p>\n
A relative living overseas contacted authorities in England on 6 July after not hearing from the family for several days.<\/p>\n
Bedfordshire Police officers carried out a welfare check at an address linked to the family that day. They then visited the family home in Carnoustie Drive in the early hours of 7 July, when the bodies were found.<\/p>\n
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) is investigating the force’s contact with the mother and her children before their deaths.<\/p>\n
Bedfordshire Police made a mandatory referral to the watchdog on 7 July.<\/p>\n
The IOPC said it also received a voluntary conduct referral concerning a police constable the following day.<\/p>\n
Statements from the coroner’s officers revealed the mother died from “head injuries” while the children’s cause of death was listed as “blunt force head injuries”.<\/p>\n
Source: bbc.co.uk<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"