Kenyan prosecutors announced they are preparing to charge several students with murder following a deadly arson attack at Utumishi Girls' School last month that killed 16 pupils. The victims, aged between 15 and 18, died and dozens more were injured when fire swept through a dormitory in Gilgil, approximately 120 kilometers northwest of Nairobi.
Police arrested eight students after preliminary investigations suggested their involvement in starting the fire by igniting mattresses near an exit. The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has approved murder charges for the implicated students after a review of the evidence. The suspects are currently in custody and are expected to be formally charged in court soon with sixteen counts of murder.
The fire, which occurred on May 28, engulfed the upper floor of a dormitory designed for 135 students but housing 202. Survivors were forced to escape through a single doorway after the emergency exit reportedly failed to open. Investigations involving interviews with students and staff, as well as forensic analysis of CCTV footage, identified the eight pupils as persons of interest in the planning and execution of the incident.
The ODPP has expressed concern about a recent increase in arson and related criminal activities in educational institutions across Kenya, vowing to hold those responsible accountable. Education Minister Julius Ogamba stated that initial findings point to multiple safety breaches at the school, including dormitory overcrowding and a locked exit door.
Kenya has a history of fatal school fires. In 2022, at least 21 people died in a dormitory fire in central Kenya. Many such incidents in the country's boarding schools have been attributed to arson by disgruntled pupils protesting disciplinary measures or living conditions, while others have resulted from accidents. Frequent causes cited for the high casualty rates include overcrowding and a failure to adhere to safety guidelines, such as keeping exits clear and windows unlocked.