Kenya: Eight Utumishi Girls Students to Be Charged Over Deadly School Fire
Eight students from Utumishi Girls' School in Gilgil, Kenya, will be charged with 16 counts of murder over a deadly school fire that killed 16 students and injured dozens. The fire, which occurred on May 28, is believed to have been deliberately started, with investigators identifying the eight students as persons of interest. The incident has sparked a national debate over student unrest, school safety standards, and arson cases in Kenyan learning institutions.
- ▪The fire at Utumishi Girls' School killed 16 students and injured dozens on May 28.
- ▪Eight students, aged 15-18, will be charged with 16 counts of murder over the incident.
- ▪The school had several safety failures, including overcrowding and locked emergency exits.
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Nairobi — Eight students linked to the deadly fire at Utumishi Girls' School in Gilgil will be formally charged in court on Friday following a hearing in Naivasha, prosecutors have confirmed. The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) said the suspects, who are currently in custody, are expected to face 16 counts of murder over the dormitory blaze that claimed the lives of 16 students and left dozens injured. The charges stem from the May 28 fire that broke out in a dormitory at the school, located about 120 kilometres north-west of Nairobi. Investigators believe the fire was deliberately started after mattresses were allegedly set ablaze near an exit, causing panic among students trapped inside the overcrowded dormitory.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at AllAfrica.