Eight Students Scheduled to Appear in Nairobi Court Over School Fire Deaths

Eight students from Utumishi Girls Academy are scheduled to appear before the Kibera Law Court for a mention in a case involving 16 counts of murder. The students are accused of involvement in a fire that destroyed the upper floor of a dormitory at the school in Gilgil. The blaze killed 16 schoolgirls who were among 135 students housed in the affected building.

The case was transferred from Naivasha to Nairobi after officials cited concerns over the safety of the accused students and potential interference from public hostility in the area. The court allowed continued detention of the eight students to facilitate their arraignment and plea-taking.

Police identified the eight students as persons of interest after interviews with students and staff and a forensic review of CCTV footage. The National Police Service said the students were linked to the planning and execution of the fire. Investigations into the exact cause of the blaze are continuing.