A former Rwandan official appeared in a London court on Tuesday facing charges over his alleged role in the 1994 genocide, including accusations that he encouraged the killing of Tutsis and ordered the deaths of six people during the first week of the massacres.
Vincent Brown, formerly known as Vincent Bajinya, is the first person to be charged in Britain in connection with the Rwandan genocide, in which more than 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus were killed in about 100 days. Prosecutors allege that Brown was involved in directing violence in Kigali between April 6 and 13, 1994.
The 65-year-old faces one charge of conduct ancillary to genocide and six charges of conduct ancillary to murder as a crime against humanity. Prosecutors allege that he ordered six killings over four days, including the deaths of a young mother and her baby son. Brown denies any involvement in the genocide. He says he left Kigali in mid-April 1994, while his family left Rwanda in July that year. He has lived in Britain for more than two decades.
At Westminster Magistrates’ Court, prosecutor Jane Stansfield said Brown was head of the Department of Family Health within Rwanda’s National Office of Population when the genocide began. She said witnesses, including neighbours, had described him as “the leader and supervisor of physical acts of violence which were carried out by others”.
Reuters quoted Brown’s lawyer, Sam Blom-Cooper, as saying that his client welcomed the charges as an opportunity to clear his name.
Judge Paul Goldspring granted Brown bail ahead of his next appearance at the Old Bailey on October 9, subject to him providing sufficient funds as security. Prosecutors said they intended to appeal the decision, meaning Brown will remain in custody pending a further hearing later this week.
Britain’s War Crimes Team said on Monday that six other people remain under investigation, including two men who have been arrested on suspicion of genocide and crimes against humanity.
The proceedings against Brown are now set to continue in the UK courts, where prosecutors will present evidence supporting the charges and Brown will have the opportunity to contest the allegations against him.
