In a case that has gripped the nation, eight minors from Utumishi Girls Academy have been formally charged with murder following the tragic death of a fellow student. The girls appeared before the High Court where they all pleaded not guilty to the charges against them.
Justice Diana Kavedza, who is presiding over the matter, made it clear that due to their age, the eight should not be referred to as "accused persons" but rather as "subject minors". "The subject minors are charged with murder," the judge stated firmly during the proceedings.
The case stems from a devastating fire that broke out at the school's dormitory on May 28, 2026, claiming the lives of 16 students aged between 15 and 18.
The blaze tore through the upper floor of a dormitory that housed 202 students in 135 bunk beds, with the emergency exit reportedly failing to open. Dozens more were injured in the incident.
Following extensive investigations by homicide detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions approved 16 counts of murder against each of the eight minors.
The students are accused of being involved in planning and executing the fire, with police saying they may have set mattresses alight near an exit.
The court has issued strict guidelines to the media, allowing accredited journalists to cover the proceedings but barring any publication that could reveal the identities of the minors. "Accredited media representatives may attend and report from all proceedings conducted in open court.
Such reporting shall be fair, accurate, and confined to the proceedings, the court rulings, procedural developments, and matters of legitimate public interest," the judge ordered. "No report, publication, or broadcast shall directly or indirectly identify any subject minor".
Justice Kavedza further cautioned against sensational reporting and external influence on the case, stressing the need to uphold the integrity of the judicial process. "The court must guard against trial by media, public pressure, sensitive concerns and premature conclusions," she said.
The matter is expected to proceed in accordance with child protection laws, with the court emphasizing that the rights and welfare of the minors must be safeguarded even as the criminal proceedings continue.
The eight students are being held at the Kabete Juvenile Remand Home. The case had previously been transferred from Naivasha to Nairobi over safety concerns for the accused students.
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