Former Rwandan Official Appears in UK Court Over Alleged Genocide Killings

Vincent Brown, a former Rwandan official and doctor, has appeared in a United Kingdom court after being charged with conduct ancillary to genocide over alleged killings during Rwanda’s 1994 genocide.

Brown, 65, confirmed his name, date of birth and address during the hearing but did not enter a plea. He denied any wrongdoing.

Prosecutors allege that Brown incited and directed violence in Kigali during the early days of the genocide. They accuse him of ordering six killings over four days during the first week of the massacres, including the deaths of a young mother and her baby son.

Allegations and defence response

Prosecutor Jane Stansfield told the court that Brown was head of the Department of Family Health within Rwanda’s National Office of Population when the genocide began.

Brown was formerly known as Vincent Bajinya. Originally from Kigali, he is believed to have entered the UK as an asylum seeker in 1998. He changed his last name when he was granted British citizenship in 2004 and previously worked for a charity supporting refugee nurses and midwives seeking employment in Britain.

His lawyer, Sam Blom-Cooper, said Brown welcomed the opportunity to clear his name. “These are appalling crimes, terrible murders that were committed back in 1994. But this, finally, does represent the beginning of the end for Dr Brown,” he said.

The allegations have not been established by a verdict.

Case transferred to Old Bailey

Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring granted Brown bail on condition that his family provide £25,000 in security. He also transferred the case to the Central Criminal Court, commonly known as the Old Bailey.

Brown is due to appear at the Central Criminal Court on October 9.

The case followed a UK investigation that began in September 2019. The Rwandan government had asked the Metropolitan Police to investigate Brown and four other men over alleged involvement in killings in Kigali’s Rugenge district.

A British court refused Brown’s extradition to Rwanda, along with that of the four other men, in 2017. Brown is the first person to be charged in Britain over the Rwandan genocide.

The nationwide massacres lasted more than 100 days, with more than 800,000 people reportedly killed, according to the account cited in the case report.

Helen Flanagan, commander and head of Counter Terrorism Policing London, said the proceedings could establish an important precedent for addressing allegations dating back decades.

“This case demonstrates the UK is not a safe haven for individuals suspected of committing international crimes,” Flanagan said.