Eight students linked to the deadly Utumishi Girls Academy dormitory fire will remain in custody until June 26, 2026, when they are expected to take plea on murder charges before the High Court in Naivasha.
The order was issued by Chief Magistrate Abdulqadir Ramadhan Lorot after the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) successfully applied for the suspects to be detained for an additional two days to facilitate their arraignment.
During the court session, a prosecution team led by Deputy Regional Coordinator for Rift Valley Emmah Bosire, alongside Emma Okok and Joseck Abwajo, informed the court that the DPP had approved murder charges against the suspects under Sections 203 and 204 of the Penal Code.
The court, however, ordered the release of one suspect after investigations established that she was not involved in the alleged offence. She was subsequently released into the custody of her parents.
The remaining eight suspects will be held at either the Nakuru Children Remand Home or the Nairobi Children Remand Home pending their appearance in court on June 26.
The latest development comes days after DPP Renson Ingonga approved 16 counts of murder against nine students following a review of investigations conducted by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).
The charges stem from a dormitory fire that broke out at Utumishi Girls Academy in Gilgil, Nakuru County, on May 28, 2026. The blaze claimed the lives of 16 students and left 78 others injured.
Investigators relied on forensic analysis conducted at the National Police Service Forensic Laboratory, including a review of CCTV footage from the school. The footage allegedly shows several students obtaining matchboxes, mattresses and paraffin shortly before the fire erupted.
The eight suspects are expected to be formally charged when they appear in court on Friday.
