Secret files show Kenya massacre cover-up

Secret documents just released show how British colonial authorities in Kenya tried to cover up the 1959 Hola detention camp massacre.

The files brought out more details of the March 3, 1959 deaths during the Mau Mau uprising at Hola prison, according to the Associated Press. The deaths of the 11 men were initially blamed on contaminated water, though autopsies found they were severely beaten. The papers also revealed that prison staff made no effort to tell the truth about that day's events, and the government minister for Britain's colonies wanted the incident to "drop out of sight."

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Dozens of others were also injured by prison wardens that day, reported the Morning Star. One of three elderly Kenyans claims he was beaten unconscious during the incident. Last month, he won a High Court ruling to sue the British government for damages over torture.

Prisoners at Hola complained of being treated "like slaves," as they carried out enforced work on an irrigation scheme, according to BBC News. Another complaint was over their diet, which they said was the cause of many diseases.

Despite the overwhelming evidence of the violence and mistreatment at Hola, nobody has ever been prosecuted for the deaths and injuries at the prison.