Key facts
- Kenyan prosecutors are preparing to charge students with murder over a dormitory fire.
- The fire at Utumishi Girls School on May 28 killed 16 girls.
- Eight students have been identified as persons of interest and are in custody.
- The suspects will face sixteen counts of murder.
- Prosecutors noted a rise in school fires and safety breaches across Kenya.
Kenyan prosecutors are preparing to charge several students with murder following a suspected arson attack last month that killed 16 girls at Utumishi Girls School. The blaze occurred on May 28 in a dormitory housing 202 students, with victims forced to flee through a single doorway as the emergency exit failed to open.
Following interviews and a forensic review of CCTV footage, eight pupils were identified as persons of interest in connection with the fire. These suspects are being held in custody and are expected to face sixteen counts of murder. The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) stated that preliminary findings indicated multiple safety breaches at the school, including overcrowding and a locked exit door.
The ODPP has voiced concern over a recent increase in arson and related criminal conduct in learning institutions across Kenya, vowing to hold those responsible accountable. Fires in Kenyan schools have historically been a significant concern, often attributed to overcrowding, lack of safety equipment, and sometimes disgruntled pupils.