LONDON — A physician from Rwanda was taken into custody in London and faces charges related to the 1994 Rwandan genocide, British authorities confirmed on Monday.
Dr. Vincent Brown, who was previously known as Vincent Bajinya, has become the first individual charged in the United Kingdom for his alleged involvement in the ethnic genocide that claimed an estimated 800,000 lives, according to prosecutors.
The 65-year-old has been charged with one count of conduct ancillary to genocide and six counts of conduct ancillary to murder as a crime against humanity. Under British law, prosecutors can bring charges for international offenses, including genocide and crimes against humanity, regardless of where the alleged acts took place.
“These charges stem from allegations that Dr. Brown participated in the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda,” stated Frank Ferguson, head of the Crown Prosecution Service’s counterterrorism division. “He is accused of directing and inciting murder and genocide committed by others.”
The Metropolitan Police’s war crimes unit initiated their investigation into the case in 2019, following a formal request from the Rwandan government.
Originally from Kigali, Brown has resided in London, where he previously worked for a charity that supported refugee nurses and midwives seeking employment in the United Kingdom.
According to former Rwandan Justice Minister Tharcisse Karugarama, who spoke to The Associated Press in 2006, Brown is believed to have entered the United Kingdom as an asylum seeker in 1998.
He reportedly changed his name upon being granted British citizenship in 2004, his attorney, Philip Eldin-Taylor, stated at the time.
Brown is scheduled to appear in court at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday.
Authorities have confirmed that they are actively investigating several other individuals suspected of participating in the Rwandan genocide who reside in Britain.
“This case underscores the fact that the United Kingdom is not a safe haven for individuals suspected of committing international crimes,” Commander Helen Flanagan, head of counterterrorism policing, stated.
