JOHANNESBURG - British fugitive and triple murder suspect Ndodana Tshuma will first stand trial in South Africa and, if convicted, serve any sentence imposed on a charge of possessing an unlicensed firearm before he can be extradited to the United Kingdom.
Tshuma made his first appearance in the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court on Monday.
He was arrested in Kensington on Friday during a joint operation by the South African Police Service (SAPS) and Interpol.
Tshuma is accused of killing his wife, Nothabo Zandile Tshuma (42) and her daughters, Natalie (15) and Nala (5) at their home in Bedfordshire, east of London, before boarding a flight from Heathrow to Johannesburg via Dubai.
A British citizen of Zimbabwean heritage, Tshuma currently faces only a South African charge of possessing an unlicensed firearm, which police allege he bought in a Gauteng township.
The matter was postponed to 22 July to allow Tshuma to consult with legal representation and for authorities to verify his immigration status.
National police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe said Tshuma would have to serve any sentence imposed in South Africa before he could be extradited.
"He will have to serve that time first before he is extradited out of the country back to the UK. On the UK side, we have engaged with our colleagues who have been engaging with UK authorities, and they are quite confident that in no time, they will have the full extradition application," Mathe said.