British prosecutors have charged a man accused of participating in the 1994 genocide in Rwanda. Dr. Vincent Brown, formerly known as Dr. Vincent Bajinya, 65, was arrested and charged with one count of conduct ancillary to genocide and six counts of conduct ancillary to murder as a crime against humanity. The accusations involve his alleged participation in the violence against the Tutsi population during the genocide that took place in 1994.
Frank Ferguson, who leads the Crown Prosecution Service's Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division, explained the nature of the charges. Brown is originally from Kigali, but he currently resides in London. He previously worked for a charity based in London that supported refugee nurses and midwives seeking employment in the UK.
Prosecutors allege that Brown directed and incited acts of murder and genocide carried out by others. The Metropolitan Police said the allegations involve conduct in Kigali in April 1994, including encouraging others to kill members of the Tutsi population.
Commander Helen Flanagan, head of Counter Terrorism Policing London, said the case demonstrates that the UK is not a safe haven for people suspected of committing international crimes. This case represents the first time the UK has brought charges related to the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda.
The charges followed a lengthy investigation by the Metropolitan Police War Crimes Team. The investigation began in September 2019 after the government of Rwanda formally asked British authorities to investigate people allegedly involved in the genocide in the Rugenge district of Kigali.
He is now facing legal proceedings in the UK for his alleged role in events that occurred more than three decades ago. The case has drawn attention to how international crimes committed outside Britain can be prosecuted in UK courts.
Brown had previously faced attempts to extradite him to Rwanda. In 2017, the High Court upheld a decision blocking the extradition of Brown and four other men over concerns that they could face a serious risk of an unfair trial in Rwanda. The court noted that the men could instead be investigated and prosecuted in the UK if there was sufficient evidence.
British authorities later opened their own investigation. Police said the case required numerous overseas deployments and significant international cooperation during the seven-year inquiry.
The charges were brought under Section 52 of the International Criminal Court Act 2001. UK law allows certain international crimes to be prosecuted in British courts even when the alleged conduct occurred overseas.
Brown is believed to have entered the UK as an asylum seeker in 1998. He was granted British citizenship in 2004 and changed his name from Vincent Bajinya to Vincent Brown, according to reporting by The Associated Press.
The 1994 genocide lasted about 100 days and killed an estimated 800,000 people, mostly Tutsis along with moderate Hutus. The killings began after the plane carrying Rwandan President Juvénal Habyarimana was shot down in April 1994 and were carried out by government forces, militias and civilians encouraged by extremist leaders.
Brown has been remanded in custody and is scheduled to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Tuesday, September 22. No trial date has been announced.
Police said several other investigations involving people in the UK suspected of offenses related to the Rwandan genocide remain underway. The Metropolitan Police War Crimes Team said it remains committed to investigating suspected involvement in genocide and other international crimes.
The Crown Prosecution Service stressed that the allegations against Brown have not been proven. Criminal proceedings are now active and Brown has the right to a fair trial.