AN Islington man has become the first person in the United Kingdom to be charged with offences related to the Rwandan genocide.

Dr Vincent Brown, 65, also known as Bajinya, was arrested and charged for alleged crimes related to the genocide in Rwanda in 1994.

He has appeared in the court this week and will have a further hearing at the Old Bailey in October.

A police counter-terrorism investigation, began in September 2019. The charges are one of conduct ancillary to genocide and six of conduct ancillary to murder as a crime against humanity.

Commander Helen Flanagan, head of Counter Terrorism Policing London, said: “To secure the first-ever UK charges related to a genocide has involved a huge amount of work and determination from officers in the War Crimes Team. A number of other investigations remain ongoing into other individuals in the UK for similar offences related to the genocide in Rwanda.

“Our thoughts remain with the people of Rwanda, particularly those who lost family members and loved ones during the genocide against the Tutsi.”