By a Correspondent
A Zimbabwean man wanted by police in the United Kingdom over the suspected murder of his wife and two young daughters has reportedly been sighted in Bulawayo, although the claim remains unverified.
Forty-five-year-old Ndodana Mkhanyisi Tshuma, also known as Mark, is the subject of an international manhunt after British authorities alleged he fled the UK shortly before the bodies of his wife, Nothabo Zandile Tshuma (42), and their daughters, Natalie (15) and Nala (5), were discovered at their home in Great Denham, near Bedford, on Monday.
According to Bedfordshire Police, Tshuma left the UK through Heathrow Airport on Saturday using a British passport and is believed to have travelled to Zimbabwe.
The search took a new twist after prominent Zimbabwean broadcaster Ezra Sibanda said he had received information from sources claiming Tshuma had been seen in Luveve, Bulawayo.
“I have received information from sources who claim that wanted fugitive Ndodana Mkhanyisi ‘Mark’ Tshuma has been seen in Luveve, Bulawayo. I have shared this information with the relevant British authorities for their assessment,” Sibanda wrote on social media.
Although the reports are yet to be independently verified, the broadcast-journalist urged Tshuma’s relatives to encourage him to surrender if the information proved accurate.
“If these reports are accurate, I appeal to his family in Zimbabwe to encourage him to do the right thing by surrendering to the Zimbabwe Republic Police or returning to the United Kingdom to face the ongoing investigation,” Sibanda said.
He also claimed that some people who contacted him alleged Tshuma had read his earlier social media post about the case and dismissed it as false.
“Ndodana mfowethu, if you are reading this as you always do, please do the right thing. Hand yourself over to the authorities and allow the legal process to take its course,” Sibanda appealed.
British detectives say they are working with national and international law enforcement agencies to locate Tshuma.
Detective Inspector Lee Martin said investigators believe the suspect is now in Zimbabwe.
“We know that Mark Tshuma left the country on Saturday and is now believed to be in Zimbabwe,” Martin said.
Issuing a direct appeal to the suspect, he added:
“Mark, unthinkable harm has been caused to those around you and this has left your relatives and friends utterly devastated. Criminal investigation knows no borders.
“Please do the right thing, come forward and hand yourself in to local authorities.”
The bodies of Nothabo and her two daughters were found after police forced entry into the family’s home following reports that they had not been seen for several days.
Meanwhile, the Zimbabwe Republic Police spokesman Paul Nyathi told the BBC that officers were unable to confirm if Tshuma had entered the country but were “ready to arrest” him if he was found and were on alert at border points.
“We are yet to receive an Interpol red notice, we are still to get that communication,” Nyathi said.
“Nonetheless, we are already on alert and closely monitoring the situation and ready to arrest him. Tshuma should give himself up to the police if he is in Zimbabwe. Please surrender yourself to the police so that the due process of the law can take its course based on the allegations emanating from the UK.”
British police have appealed to anyone with information on Tshuma’s whereabouts to contact law enforcement immediately, saying international cooperation is underway to locate and arrest him.
Authorities have not confirmed the Bulawayo sighting, and the reports remain unverified.
