A doctor living in north London has become the first person in the United Kingdom to face criminal charges relating to the genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda.
The Crown Prosecution Service has charged Dr Vincent Brown, formerly Dr Vincent Bajinya, aged 65, with one offence of conduct ancillary to genocide and six offences of conduct ancillary to murder as a crime against humanity. The charges are brought under section 52 of the International Criminal Court Act 2001 and concern alleged events in Rwanda in April 1994.
Prosecutors say Dr Brown is alleged to have directed and incited acts of murder and genocide carried out by others. The CPS took the decision after reviewing a file of evidence submitted by the War Crimes Team at the Metropolitan Police and concluded that the legal test for bringing charges had been met.
Frank Ferguson, Head of the Crown Prosecution Service’s Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division, said: “The charges relate to allegations that Dr Brown took part in the genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda in 1994. He is alleged to have directed and incited acts of murder and genocide carried out by others.
“The Crown Prosecution Service made its decision after reviewing a file of evidence submitted by the War Crimes Team at the Metropolitan Police. We concluded that our legal test for bringing criminal charges had been met.
“The Crown Prosecution Service makes prosecution decisions independently of police and government, on the evidence available and in accordance with the law.
“Criminal proceedings against Dr Brown are now active. The defendant has the right to a fair trial, and it is extremely important that there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online that could prejudice those proceedings.”
Dr Brown, who is originally from Kigali and now lives in Islington, appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday 22 September 2026. The case has been sent to the Central Criminal Court for a further hearing.
The Metropolitan Police investigation began in 2019 after a request from the Rwandan authorities. The 1994 killings in Rwanda lasted about 100 days, during which Hutu extremists murdered an estimated 800,000 Tutsis and politically moderate Hutus.
Police have said other related inquiries in Britain remain open. Dr Brown denies the allegations.
By A.Ikechukwu
