The Naivasha Law Court granted an application by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to detain nine students from Utumishi Girls Academy for 21 days as investigations continue into a dormitory fire that killed 16 students and left extensive property damage.
Chief Magistrate Abdulqadir Ramadhan ruled that the students should remain at the Nakuru Children’s Home to allow investigators sufficient time to complete inquiries into possible arson and murder charges arising from the tragic incident.
In court, the prosecution argued that key forensic investigations, including DNA analysis and other scientific examinations, are still ongoing and require additional time before any charging decisions can be made.
The State further maintained that the continued detention of the minors was necessary to preserve the integrity of the investigations and to ensure their safety and welfare due to the sensitive nature of the case and the heightened public interest surrounding it.
The court directed that the students be granted regular and unrestricted access to officers from the Children’s Department to safeguard their rights and welfare throughout the detention period. The magistrate also ordered that they be allowed access to legal representation and other support services.
To protect the identities of the minors, the court barred members of the media and the public from taking, publishing, sharing, or disseminating images of the students, citing legal provisions governing cases involving children.
The matter will be mentioned on June 24, 2026, when investigators are expected to provide an update on the progress of the probe.
Investigators have revealed that the alleged plan to torch the dormitory was conceived at around 9 p.m. and executed approximately three hours later. According to forensic analysis of CCTV footage, matchboxes, mattresses, and paraffin were allegedly assembled before the fire was started at about 12:10 a.m.
Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), including officers from the Child Protection Unit, have been interviewing the suspects with the assistance of counsellors at Gilgil Police Station.
Preliminary investigations indicate that the students’ grievances were directed at the school administration. Among the issues raised were allegations that the school had moved examination dates forward from June 16 to June 2, as well as concerns over a planned cultural event for which students were reportedly required to contribute financially.
Investigators have also established that students may have been influenced by reports of unrest at a neighbouring boys’ school that had experienced a strike days before the fatal fire.
Homicide detectives believe the arson attack may have involved more individuals than those currently in custody. The presence of paraffin at the scene has led investigators to suspect that external assistance may have been involved in obtaining materials used in the attack.
Authorities have confirmed that efforts are underway to identify and apprehend additional suspects believed to have played a role in the deadly incident.
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