5 Students Arrested and Charged for Allegedly Causing Dormitory Fire That Caused 16 Students' Deaths
- Five Form Three students have been charged in connection with a dormitory fire at Maranda High School in Kenya
- The suspects pleaded not guilty to allegations of setting a girls’ dormitory ablaze, causing damage estimated at KSh 2.8 million
- Prosecutors say investigations included CCTV footage allegedly showing some of the students purchasing fuel before the incident
Five Form Three students from Maranda High School have been charged over a suspected arson attack that destroyed a girls’ dormitory at the school in Siaya County, Kenya.
The students appeared before Bondo Chief Magistrate Douglas Ogoti, where they pleaded not guilty to charges linked to the fire incident that occurred on Sunday, May 24.
Source: UGC
According to the prosecution, the accused persons jointly and unlawfully set the Owino “B” girls’ dormitory on fire, resulting in property damage estimated at KSh 2.8 million, approximately Gh¢ 6,800
The incident sparked concern at the school and renewed discussions about unrest and safety in learning institutions.
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) informed the court that 12 students were initially arrested in connection with the fire. However, investigators found sufficient evidence to charge only five of them.
Four other students who had earlier been detained are now expected to testify as state witnesses, while three learners were released after investigators reportedly found no evidence linking them to the incident.
During the bail hearing, the defence requested that the students be released on free bond, arguing that they were not flight risks because their details were already captured in the National Education Management Information System (NEMIS).
However, the court declined the request and ordered each accused student to deposit KSh 30,000 cash bail.
The case is scheduled for mention on June 15 before proceeding to a full hearing later in the month. Prosecutors are expected to rely on evidence gathered during investigations, including CCTV footage linked to the case.
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Source: YEN.com.gh
