The Putney pensioner named in court papers as a Mau Mau torturer

An elderly man living out his retirement in London has been named as a torturer by a Kenyan seeking compensation.

Terence Gavaghan, 89, was awarded the MBE for his work during the Mau Mau rebellion in the 1950s, when Britain moved to crush a Kenyan uprising.

He now appears to be the only living individual accused of human rights abuses in a multi-million pound court case being presented at the High Court in London by four ageing Kenyans who claim they were tortured in detention camps set up by Britain.

Accused: Ex-colonial officer Terence Gavaghan and right, his accuser Kenyan Wambugu We Nyingi



The claimants are represented on a no-win no-fee basis by British lawyers, and if they win compensation, thousands of other Kenyans could claim too, as well as other alleged victims of the Empire, costing taxpayers billions.

One of the four Kenyans in the High Court case, Wambugu We Nyingi, directly blames Mr Gavaghan for abuse he alleges he suffered.

Mr Gavaghan, who lives in Putney, South-West London, is no longer able to defend himself against the allegations because he has Alzheimer’s.

But before his recent decline he denied previous more general allegations, and yesterday his wife Nicole, 77, insisted that the lawyer at the centre of the compensation case simply wanted to make money.

Mrs Gavaghan said: ‘Terence got a decoration from the Queen for the work he did in Kenya.

1953: British police using guns to guard Mau Mau suspects at a detention camp in Kariobangi, Kenya

‘It was through Terence that 20,000 detainees were released. There’s never been any evidence he maltreated anyone.

‘The solicitors’ game is that they are going to make money out of this.’

Mr Nyingi’s High Court testimony is key to claims that Britain authorised extreme brutality in Kenya, where the Mau Mau terror group killed around 100 white settlers and troops, but at least 11,000 Kenyans died.

Mr Nyingi claims he was detained for nine years without being charged, and that early in 1957 he was transferred to a camp where Mr Gavaghan was an officer.

The document submitted to court says: ‘Immediately, he was beaten with 25 stokes of the cane which caused him to lose consciousness.

‘After this for five days Gavaghan made the detainees, including Mr Nyingi, dig trenches to a depth and width of eight feet. They would then be required to fill them up again, rendering the work pointless.

Fighting: Police and troops point rifles with bayonets at a local man as they quell a battle between rival tribes in 1950

Held: Captured Mau Mau prisoners at a British camp sit with theirs hands on their heads as they await their fate

‘Mr Nyingi was also made to carry on his head a bucket filled with sand and stones for hours at a stretch. While he was doing so one or more officers would hit him in the face.

‘He would be forced to run on gravel with bare feet for hours. During this period he was subjected to the same brutal assaults, always in the presence of Gavaghan.’

A further document claims Mr Gavaghan once watched as Mr Nyingi was given 72 strokes of the cane.

Before Alzheimer’s took hold, Mr Gavaghan, who after leaving colonial service worked for the United Nations in Afghanistan and Somalia, denied torture.

He said he lost control just once, when his guards were grappling with a man who had ‘adopted the plasticine doll technique’ of falling about if pushed.

‘Partly to associate myself with the frustration of the others, I hit him back-handed across the face, ripping my knuckles on his teeth.’

He added: ‘We used compelling force because it was necessary in that situation.

‘We never used punitive force. We were Her Majesty’s Overseas Civil Servants and the very suggestion of it is degrading.’