The High Court in London has ruled that four elderly Kenyans can bring a compensation case against the British Government over accusations of torture during Britain's suppression of the Mau Mau uprising in Kenya in the 1950s and 60s.
The High Court said the group could seek damages over their treatment during the 1950s and 60s.
Mr Justice McCombe said on Thursday that the Kenyans had an arguable case and that the matter would be decided by trial.
Ministers say the British government is not responsible for the actions of the colonial administration.
The BBC reports the decision means that the government will have to defend accusations of torture, murder, sexual assault and other alleged abuses at a full damages trial in 2012.
Evidence of systematic torture - judge
Ndiku Mutwiwa Mutua, Paulo Muoka Nzili, Wambugu Wa Nyingi and Jane Muthoni Mara are all in their 70s and 80s. A fifth claimant has died since the action began.
Mr Justice McCombe said in his judgement that there was ''ample evidence'' to show there may have been ''systematic torture of detainees during the Emergency''.
The BBC reports the trial is expected to include critical material from some 17,000 previously lost documents that were discovered earlier this year in the Foreign Office's archives.
The papers include detailed reports of atrocities which were sent to ministers in the 1950s and 1960s.
Mr Justice McCombe has given the government until autumn to prepare a defence and additional arguments that the case is too old to be heard.
