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UK Charges First Suspect in 1994 Rwanda Genocide
Confirmed
In Short: Vincent Brown, a 65-year-old doctor formerly known as Vincent Bajinya, was arrested and charged on Monday with one count of conduct ancillary to genocide and six offences of aiding crimes against humanity in Rwanda, according to prosecutors and local authorities.
The charges relate to allegations that Dr Brown took part in the genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda in 1994, said Frank Ferguson, head of the Crown Prosecution Service’s counterterror division.
Brown is alleged to have directed and incited acts of murder and genocide carried out by others, marking the first-ever charges in the United Kingdom for the 1994 Rwanda genocide.
The Metropolitan Police said the charges follow a complex and extensive seven-year investigation that began in September 2019 after a formal request from the Rwandan government.
The investigation focused on individuals allegedly involved in a genocide in the Rugenge district of Kigali in April 1994, where an estimated 800,000 ethnic Tutsis and politically moderate Hutus were killed over 100 days.
Brown's extradition to Rwanda, along with four other men, was refused by a UK court in 2017, leading to the current charges.
The War Crimes Team concluded that their legal test for bringing criminal charges had been met, leading to the charges against Brown.
Several other countries have already prosecuted suspects in the Rwandan genocide, and the UK continues to investigate other individuals for similar offences.
The prosecution of Brown marks a significant step in holding individuals accountable for their roles in the 1994 Rwanda genocide.
The case highlights the ongoing efforts to bring justice for the victims of the genocide and to ensure that those responsible face legal consequences.
What's confirmed
- After a seven-year investigation, Vincent Brown, a 65-year-old doctor who was formerly known as Vincent Bajinya, was arrested and charged on Monday with one count of conduct ancillary to genocide and six offences of aiding crimes against humanity in Rwanda, prosecutors and local authorities said.
- Vincent Brown is ‘alleged to have directed and incited acts of murder and genocide carried out by others’.
- The War Crimes Team began their investigation in September 2019 after a formal request from the Rwandan government to investigate people allegedly involved in a genocide in the Rugenge district of Kigali in April 1994.
- The mainly Tutsi forces who took power following the genocide were alleged to have killed thousands of Hutu people in Rwanda in retaliation.
What's still developing
- Published 21 Sept 2026, 17:11 UTC Updated 21 Sept 2026, 21:40 UTC Africa · updated 4h ago · 2 min read Vincent Brown, 65, is the first UK figure charged over the 1994 Rwanda genocide.