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Kenyan police have arrested eight female students on suspicion of arson in connection with a fire that swept through a girls' boarding school in Gilgil, west-central Kenya, killing 16 students and injuring 79 others. The arrests, announced on Friday, came after the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) identified the students as "persons of interest in connection with the planning and execution of the suspected arson attack," according to a police statement cited by multiple outlets.

The blaze broke out in the early hours of Thursday at Utumishi Girls' Academy Senior School. The DCI said preliminary investigations led to the arrests, with the motive still under investigation. Police spent Thursday questioning 30 students at the school, and parents were asked to return on Friday morning, as reported by Reuters and The Associated Press.

Coverage Comparison

Reporting from several international outlets, including ABC Australia, Al Jazeera, Africa News, South China Morning Post, and The Hindu, consistently confirmed the death toll, the number of injured, and the arrests. Most sources attributed the incident to a suspected arson attack, though the DCI has not yet established a motive.

Some outlets, such as Africa News, adopted a more sympathetic tone, focusing on the anguish of parents waiting for news of their daughters. One Africa News report quoted a father, John Muiruri, expressing frustration with conflicting information about the whereabouts of survivors and the remains of the deceased. Al Jazeera also reported from the scene, interviewing students and relatives, including a wounded student who described the intensity of the fire.

A later report from Africa News noted that nine girls, not eight, were suspected of involvement and were due to be remanded at a children's home for up to 21 days. This discrepancy remains unresolved, as no other source in the provided coverage mentioned nine suspects. The eight students arrested on Friday are in police custody, according to the DCI.

Key Claims

  • Arrests: Eight students were arrested on suspicion of arson, according to a DCI statement reported by Reuters, Al Jazeera, and other outlets. A later Africa News story mentioned nine suspects, a figure not yet corroborated elsewhere.
  • Safety failures: Education Minister Julius Ogamba said the school's board of management had been dissolved and the principal would face disciplinary action for failing to comply with safety requirements. Ogamba specifically cited "congestion in the dormitory and one exit door locked," as reported by Reuters and The Associated Press.
  • Ignored warnings: Ogamba also said two teachers had been informed of planned unrest that may have led to the arson but failed to intervene. This was reported by multiple outlets, including Africa News and Al Jazeera.
  • Overcrowding: The dormitory housed 135 bunk beds, according to Africa News, raising concerns about overcrowding. A separate report said the dormitory housed 202 students.
  • DNA testing: Bodies of the victims were taken to a government hospital morgue and were undergoing DNA testing to ascertain identities, as reported by Africa News. Joyce Ncece, chief officer for disaster management of Nakuru County, explained that visual identification was impossible due to burns.
  • Emergency exit: Investigators said students struggled to escape as the school matron failed to open an emergency door, forcing all to exit through a single doorway. This detail appeared in an Africa News story about the court proceedings.

Perspectives

Parents and relatives expressed frustration and anguish as they waited for information. John Muiruri, whose daughter was among the missing, told Africa News: "They tell us the children are in Kenyatta University hospital in Nairobi, other times they say they are in Naivasha. They have just been doing some sideshows, trying to prevent us from knowing the truth." A parent who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity said, "We have not even been told about the eight that police have arrested."

Student Hilda Njeri, who was injured in the fire, described the ordeal to Al Jazeera, saying she was badly injured on her leg and lower back. She added that the principal had taken students to hospital and paid for treatment.

The affected families' lawyer, Mbogo Macharia, welcomed the court's ruling on remand and called for a thorough investigation. He said, "We will have gotten the answers that we very much want to hear and we will have found a way forward in respect to finding justice for the victims."

Investigators are continuing their work, with forensic teams reviewing CCTV footage and conducting interviews. The court has set a follow-up hearing for June 24, by which time detectives are expected to conclude their investigation and decide whether to bring charges.