A 65-year-old man has become the first person in the UK to face charges linked to the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, following a lengthy investigation by the Metropolitan Police War Crimes Team.

Dr Vincent Brown, formerly known as Vincent Bajinya, was arrested and charged in London on Monday. He faces one charge of conduct ancillary to genocide and six charges of conduct ancillary to murder as a crime against humanity.

The investigation began in September 2019 after a formal request from the Rwandan government concerning alleged crimes in the Rugenge district of Kigali during April 1994.

The Metropolitan Police said the investigation involved international cooperation and several deployments over approximately seven years. The Crown Prosecution Service authorised the charges after reviewing evidence submitted by the War Crimes Team.

Brown, who lives in Islington, is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, 22 September. Police said he has been remanded in custody.

The CPS has stressed that criminal proceedings are now active and that the defendant has the right to a fair trial. Police also confirmed that investigations involving other individuals connected to alleged offences relating to the genocide remain ongoing.