HC Deb 26 March 1959 vol 602 cc1503-4
50. Mrs. Castle

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what proscribed and subversive documents were found in the Nairobi house of Mr. Tom Mboya, which was searched by the Kenya police on 6th March last.

Mr. J. Amery

None, Sir.

Mrs. Castle

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that six European police officers invaded Mr. Mboya's house at 4 o'clock in the morning on 6th March with a search warrant stating that information had been laid before a magistrate to the effect that such subversive documents were in his house? Does not the failure to find such documents show the unreliability of much of the information which has been brought before the Kenya Government and other colonial Governments, and is not this part of an attempt to create an atmosphere hostile to the development of African political organisations in Kenya and to justify the arrest of many members of Mr. Mboya's party? Will the Government—

Mr. Speaker

Order. I wish the hon. Lady could put her supplementary question more shortly.

Mr. Amery

I entirely repudiate the suggestion that this was part of an attempt to stir up feeling against African political organisations. It was nothing of the kind. The hon. Lady must also realise that if police searches do not always succeed in obtaining the evidence for which they are looking, that is no reason for not conducting them.

Mr. Callaghan

What were the police looking for?

Mr. Amery

They were looking for documents which they had information had been deposited in Mr. Mboya's house.

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