DR VINCENT BROWN CHARGED OVER 1994 RWANDA GENOCIDE

A man living in Islington, north London, has become the first person in the UK to be charged with offences linked to the 1994 genocide in Rwanda. Dr Vincent Brown, formerly known as Dr Vincent Bajinya, faces seven charges brought by the Crown Prosecution Service, including one count of conduct ancillary to genocide and six counts of conduct ancillary to murder as a crime against humanity. Prosecutors allege he directed and incited acts of murder and genocide carried out against the Tutsi population in the Rugenge district of Kigali, the Rwandan capital, in April 1994. He is due to appear before Westminster Magistrates' Court on Tuesday. Dr Brown previously lived in Kigali before settling in Islington.

The charges follow an investigation by the Metropolitan Police's War Crimes Team, which began in September 2019 after a request from the Rwandan government. The Crown Prosecution Service said it reviewed a file of evidence submitted by the war crimes team and concluded that its legal test for bringing criminal charges had been met. Frank Ferguson, head of the CPS special crime and counter-terrorism division, said Dr Brown is alleged to have directed and incited acts of murder and genocide carried out by others. The CPS said criminal proceedings against Dr Brown are now active and stressed that there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online that could prejudice the proceedings. It added that prosecution decisions are made independently of police and government, based on the evidence available and in accordance with the law.

Commander Helen Flanagan, head of counter-terrorism policing London, said securing the first UK charges related to a genocide had involved "a huge amount of work and determination" from officers in the war crimes team. She said the case demonstrates that the UK is not a safe haven for individuals suspected of committing international crimes. She added that the war crimes team remains committed to ensuring those suspected of involvement in genocide and other atrocity crimes are held accountable through due legal process, and that a number of other investigations remain ongoing into other individuals. The CPS said the defendant has the right to a fair trial.