LONDON: Thousands of documents detailing some of the most shameful acts and crimes committed during the final years of the British empire were systematically destroyed to prevent them falling into the hands of post-independence governments, an official review has concluded.

Those papers that survived the purge were flown discreetly to Britain where they were hidden for 50 years in a secret British Foreign Office archive, beyond the reach of historians and members of the public, and in breach of legal obligations for them to be transferred into the public domain.

Wambugu Wa Nyingi, Jane Muthoni, Paulo Nzili and Ndiku Mutua stand outside the High Court in London. The four Kenyans are taking the British government to court over allegations that they were tortured during the Mau Mau uprising when Britain was the colonial power. Credit:Getty Images

The archive came to light last year when a group of Kenyans detained and allegedly tortured during the Mau Mau rebellion won the right to sue the British government.

The Foreign Office promised to release the 8800 files from 37 former colonies held at the highly-secure government communications centre at Hanslope Park in Buckinghamshire near London.