OMM Redaksiyası
Former Rwandan official Vincent Brown has become the first person to appear before a court in the United Kingdom over charges linked to the 1994 genocide against Tutsis.
Brown, 65, formerly known as Vincent Bajinya, appeared before a judge at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in London on Sept. 22. He faces one charge of aiding genocide and six charges of aiding murder as a crime against humanity.
Nature of the charges
The charges relate to alleged acts committed in Kigali between April 6 and 13, 1994. More than 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus are believed to have been killed during the 100-day genocide.
Prosecutor Jane Stansfield told the court that Brown was head of the Family Health Department at Rwanda’s National Population Office when the genocide began. Prosecutors allege that he acted as a “leader and supervisor” in violence committed by others, citing witness statements, including testimony from neighbors.
The six murder charges are based on allegations that Brown ordered killings over a four-day period. Those reportedly killed included a mother and her young son, as well as four other people.
Brown’s position
Vincent Brown denies involvement in the genocide. He said he left Kigali in mid-April 1994, while his family left Rwanda in July of that year.
Brown’s lawyer, Sam Blom-Cooper, told the court that his client viewed the charges as an opportunity to clear his name. The lawyer emphasized that the crimes were allegedly committed in 1994 and described the proceedings as “the beginning of the end” for Brown.
Investigation and court proceedings
The charges follow a seven-year investigation by the Metropolitan Police’s War Crimes Unit, launched in September 2019 after a request from the Rwandan government. The Crown Prosecution Service said that, after reviewing the evidence submitted, it had determined there were legal grounds to bring a prosecution.
The service stressed that the criminal proceedings were ongoing and that Brown was entitled to a fair trial. UK law allows international crimes committed overseas to be investigated and prosecuted in the country under the International Criminal Court Act 2001.
British police are continuing to investigate six other people over alleged acts linked to the genocide. Two of them have been arrested on suspicion of genocide and crimes against humanity.
Judge Paul Goldspring granted Brown bail on the condition that he provide sufficient financial security. The defendant is expected to appear next at the Old Bailey on Oct. 9.
The 1994 genocide in Rwanda lasted approximately 100 days and remains one of the most extensively documented mass atrocities of the late 20th century. International prosecutions related to the killings have taken place in several countries, including before the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda.
