Mau Mau four win right to sue Britain over 'atrocities'

Four elderly Kenyans were today given the go-ahead at the High Court to sue the British government over alleged colonial atrocities committed during the Mau Mau uprising.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office, which says it cannot be held legally liable, had asked Mr Justice McCombe to rule on the preliminary issue of whether to throw out the claims and grant summary judgment in its favour.

The FCO's counsel Robert Jay had argued that the case was "built on inference". But the judge rejected the strike out application saying that the claimants had "arguable cases in law".

The four are Ndiku Mutwiwa Mutua, Paulo Muoka Nzili, Wambugu Wa Nyingi and Jane Muthoni Mara. The test case stems from events in detention camps between 1952 and 1961.