UK prosecutors have charged a 65-year-old man with offences related to the 1994 Rwanda genocide, marking the first such charges in the UK. Dr Vincent Brown, formerly known as Vincent Bajinya, is accused of directing and inciting acts of murder and genocide during the 100-day slaughter that killed over 800,000 people.
Brown, who lives in London, was arrested in 2006 and previously refused extradition to Rwanda in 2017. The Metropolitan Police began investigating the case in 2019 at the request of the Rwandan government. The charges include one count of conduct ancillary to genocide and six offences of aiding crimes against humanity.
The UK's Crown Prosecution Service said the charges demonstrate the country is not a safe haven for individuals suspected of international crimes. The case is part of an ongoing investigation into other suspects living in Britain. The genocide saw an estimated 800,000 people, mostly Tutsis, killed in 100 days of slaughter.
The charges follow a seven-year investigation by the Metropolitan Police's War Crimes Team. The case highlights the UK's role in holding individuals accountable for atrocities committed abroad. The investigation is part of a broader effort to ensure justice for victims of the 1994 genocide in Rwanda.