Prosecutors authorise charges in Bedford triple murder case
Emma Davies, Chief Crown Prosecutor from the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “The Crown Prosecution Service has authorised three charges of murder against Ndodana Mkhanyisi Tshuma following the deaths of his wife and two daughters.
“This comes after the careful review of evidence provided by Bedfordshire Police.
“The bodies of Nothabo Zandile Tshuma, 42, known as Zandile, Natalie, 15, and Nala, five, were found at their home in Great Denham on Tuesday 7 July.
“Our thoughts remain with Zandile, Natalie and Nala’s loved ones and with everyone affected by what has happened.
“As criminal proceedings are active, nothing should be reported, commented on or shared online that could prejudice the defendant’s right to a fair trial.”
Ndodana Mkhanyisi Tshuma, 45, of Great Denham, Bedford, was arrested by police in South Africa on Friday 10 July and is currently being held in custody.
The Crown Prosecution Service will continue to work with Bedfordshire Police and international partners as this case progresses.
Notes to editors
- Any decision by the CPS does not imply any finding concerning guilt or criminal conduct; the CPS makes decisions only according to the test set out in the Code for Crown Prosecutors and it is applied in all decisions on whether or not to prosecute.
- It is not the function of the CPS to decide whether a person is guilty of a criminal offence, but to make fair, independent, and objective assessments about whether it is appropriate to present charges for the criminal court to consider.
- The CPS assessment of any case is not in any sense a finding of, or implication of, any guilt or criminal conduct. It is not a finding of fact, which can only be made by a court, but rather an assessment of what it might be possible to prove to a court, in accordance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors. This assessment is based on the evidence available arising out of the present police investigation and not on the evidence that is likely to be gathered by the defence, and likely to be used to test the prosecution evidence. The CPS charging decision is therefore necessarily an assessment on the basis of the evidence that is available to the CPS at the time the decision is made.
- CPS prosecutors must also keep every case under review, so that they take account of any change in circumstances that occurs as the case develops, including what becomes known of the defence case. If appropriate, the CPS may change the charges or stop a case.