Judge Sets £100,000 Bail for Man Accused of Rwanda Genocide Crimes

Dr Vincent Brown, a 65-year-old doctor residing in north London, faces charges related to the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, marking the first prosecution in the UK connected to these events. At a hearing held on 28 September 2026 at the Old Bailey, Judge Mark Lucraft KC increased Brown’s bail from £25,000 to £100,000 and imposed strict conditions for his release.

Brown must surrender his passport and any national identity documents, comply with a curfew at his Islington home, wear an electronic tag, and report daily to the police. Until these conditions are met, he remains in custody. Brown denies all allegations.

The charges stem from alleged offences committed in Kigali’s Rugenge district between 6 and 13 April 1994. Prosecutors accuse Brown, formerly known as Vincent Bajinya, of directing or encouraging the killing of six people, including three members of one household, a taxi driver, and a mother with her young son. These charges include one count of conduct ancillary to genocide and six counts of conduct ancillary to murder as a crime against humanity, under the International Criminal Court Act 2001.

Brown qualified as a medical doctor in Rwanda in the 1980s and later led the country’s Department of Family Health. After relocating to London, he worked for refugee charities and served on the Refugee Nurses Task Force advising the UK government. The charges follow a seven-year investigation by the Metropolitan Police War Crimes Team, initiated in 2019 at the request of the Rwandan government.

The 1994 genocide resulted in the deaths of an estimated 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus over roughly 100 days. Brown’s case has a notable legal history, with previous UK courts refusing extradition to Rwanda over concerns about fair trial standards. The current prosecution is being conducted under UK domestic law rather than through an international tribunal.

Brown is due to appear again at the Old Bailey on 9 October 2026. Investigations into other alleged genocide offences in Rwanda continue.