The bodies of Zimbabwean national Nothabo Zandile Tshuma and her two daughters, who were allegedly murdered in the United Kingdom, are expected to arrive in...
The bodies of Zimbabwean national Nothabo Zandile Tshuma and her two daughters, who were allegedly murdered in the United Kingdom, are expected to arrive in Zimbabwe on Sunday, with funeral arrangements scheduled to begin in Bulawayo ahead of their burial next week.
In a statement, the Tshuma family said the bodies of Nothabo, Natalie and Nala are expected to arrive at Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport in Bulawayo on Sunday afternoon. They will be received by family members before being transferred to Nyaradzo Funeral Services.
The family expressed gratitude to everyone who has supported them since the deaths of their loved ones. “We sincerely thank everyone who has stood with us throughout this difficult time. Your prayers, messages, visits, kindness and unwavering support have carried us through some of our darkest moments,” the family said in the statement.
Advertisement
According to the family, funeral proceedings will continue on Tuesday next week. A church service will be held at Lobengula Brethren in Christ Church in Bulawayo before the burial takes place at Luveve Cemetery.
The family described the weeks following the deaths as “an unbearably painful journey” and thanked relatives, friends, workmates, church members and the wider Bulawayo community for their continued support during the difficult period.
It also said additional information regarding the repatriation process and the funeral programme would be communicated as necessary. The family did not provide further details beyond the scheduled arrival and funeral arrangements.
Nothabo Zandile Tshuma, aged 42, and her daughters, Natalie, 15, and Nala, five, were found dead at their home in Great Denham, near Bedford, England, on July 7. The deaths prompted a criminal investigation by authorities in the United Kingdom.
Her husband, Ndodana Mkhanyisi Tshuma, aged 45, was arrested in South Africa earlier this month in connection with the killings. The arrest followed investigations by law enforcement authorities into the deaths of the three family members.
Prosecutors in the United Kingdom have since authorised three murder charges against Ndodana Mkhanyisi Tshuma. Extradition proceedings are currently underway in South Africa to facilitate his transfer to the United Kingdom, where he is expected to stand trial on the charges.
The arrival of the bodies in Zimbabwe will allow family members, friends and the Bulawayo community to pay their final respects before the funeral service and burial. The repatriation marks the next stage in bringing Nothabo Tshuma and her daughters home following the tragedy that claimed their lives in the United Kingdom.
