Kenyan prosecutors said they were preparing to charge several students with the murder of their classmates following a suspected arson attack at a school last month.
Sixteen students, aged between 15 and 18, died and dozens more were injured when a fire broke out in a dormitory at Utumishi Girls’ School in Gilgil, about 120 kilometers northwest of the capital, Nairobi.
Eight students were later arrested after police said they might be involved. starting the fire by lighting mattresses near an exit.
“After careful evaluation of the evidence, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) approved the charges against the students involved,” the State Attorney’s Office said in a statement.
The May 28 fire gutted the upper floor of a dormitory containing 135 bunk beds and housing 202 students, forcing them to flee through a single door after the emergency exit failed to open.
Following interviews with students and staff and forensic analysis of CCTV footage, eight pupils from the school were identified as “persons of interest in relation to the planning and execution” of the fire, police said.
The suspects, who are currently in custody, are expected to be formally charged in court, after reviewing the evidence collected by investigators.
“The suspects will face sixteen (16) counts of murder arising from the incident,” the DPP’s Office said.
Prosecutors did not say how many suspects would be charged or when the charges would be brought to court. The students are expected to appear before the Naivasha court on Wednesday.
The ODPP expressed concern over a recent increase in cases of arson and associated criminal behavior at educational institutions across the country, warning that those responsible would be held accountable.
Education Minister Julius Ogamba said preliminary findings indicated there had been multiple violations of security measures at Utumishi Girls’ School, including overcrowding in dormitories and a locked exit door.
Kenya has a long history of school fires: just two years ago, at least 21 people died in a dormitory fire in central Kenya.
Many reported fires at boarding schools are the result of arson, with disgruntled students – angry at disciplinary measures and living conditions – blamed for them, while others were started by accident.
Overcrowding in dormitories and failure to follow safety guidelines, such as keeping exits clear and windows open, have often been blamed for the high number of casualties.