In a significant legal development, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has announced that a Rwandan man residing in north London has become the first individual to face charges in the UK connected to the 1994 genocide in Rwanda.
Dr. Vincent Brown, previously known as Dr. Vincent Bajinya, aged 65, is accused of various serious offences, including one charge of conduct ancillary to genocide and six charges related to conduct ancillary to murder as a crime against humanity. Frank Ferguson, who leads the CPS’s Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division, stated that Brown is alleged to have orchestrated and incited acts of murder and genocide perpetrated by others during this tragic period.
Brown is scheduled to appear in Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday. Ferguson explained that the decision to proceed with charges came after a thorough review of evidence provided by the War Crimes Team at the Metropolitan Police.
Background of the Investigation
The investigation into Brown commenced in September 2019, prompted by an official request from the Rwandan government seeking inquiries into individuals allegedly involved in the genocide that took place in the Rugenge district of Kigali in April 1994.
The Metropolitan Police have described the charges against Brown as the outcome of a “complex and extensive seven-year investigation.” Commander Helen Flanagan, who oversees Counter Terrorism Policing in London, emphasized that this case signals that the UK does not offer refuge to those suspected of international crimes.
Flanagan reiterated the commitment of the War Crimes Team to ensure accountability for those suspected of involvement in genocide and other serious atrocities, noting that multiple investigations into other individuals in the UK for similar offences related to the Rwandan genocide are still ongoing.
