The High Court in Kibera, Kenya has ordered mental health assessments for the eight students accused of orchestrating the deadly fire at Utumishi Girls Academy in Giligil, Kenya that killed 16 students in May.
The assessments will determine whether the minors are mentally fit to stand trial before they can formally plead guilty to 16 murder charges preferred against them.
The court has also ordered the eight suspects to be remanded at the Nairobi Children’s Remand Home pending the psychiatric evaluations. The matter will be mentioned on July 1 for further directions.
The case stems from one of Kenya’s deadliest school tragedies in recent years. On May 28, a fire tore through a dormitory housing more than 200 students at Utumishi Girls Academy in Gilgil, Nakuru County, killing 16 girls and leaving dozens of others injured. Investigators allege that the fire was deliberately started after a mattress was set ablaze near one of the dormitory exits, causing flames to spread rapidly through the crowded building.
The eight students have been linked to the fatal fire and are expected to face 16 murder charges if psychiatric assessments determine they are mentally fit to stand trial
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions approved the murder charges following a review of evidence gathered by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, marking a significant escalation in a case that has reignited concerns over safety, discipline, and mental health in Kenyan boarding schools.
The Utumishi Girls tragedy also renewed scrutiny of fire safety standards in schools. The Ministry of Education suspended the school’s principal over alleged non-compliance with fire safety regulations, while authorities raised concern over a spike in school fires across the country. According to the Kenya Red Cross, at least 37 school fire incidents had been recorded since the beginning of the year.
The case continues to draw national attention as families of the victims seek justice, while the court prepares to determine whether the accused students are fit to stand trial for one of the country’s most devastating school fire tragedies.
