NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 26 – The High Court in Kibera has deferred plea-taking for eight Utumishi Girls Academy students charged with the murder of sixteen schoolmates who died in a dormitory fire last month, ordering that they undergo mental and age assessments before standing trial.

The students appeared before the court on Friday, three days after the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) approved sixteen counts of murder arising from the May 28 tragedy at the Nakuru-based school.

Addressing the accused, the judge informed them of the charges but said they would not be required to enter pleas until the assessments are completed.

“You are charged with the murder of sixteen girls at Utumishi Girls Secondary School. You are not required to plead to the charges for now,” the judge told them.

The court directed that the students undergo mental and age assessments over the weekend to establish whether they are fit to stand trial. The matter will be mentioned on July 1 for further directions.

The latest development follows a ruling by a Naivasha court on Tuesday releasing a ninth student arrested in connection with the fire after investigators found no evidence linking her to the incident.

Chief Magistrate Abdulqadir Ramadhan Lorot ordered that the student be released to the custody of her parents, while allowing the continued detention of the remaining eight suspects pending their arraignment.

During the proceedings, prosecutors informed the court that the Director of Public Prosecutions had approved murder charges against the suspects following a review of the investigation file submitted by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).

ODPP said the evidence gathered during investigations supports sixteen counts of murder in relation to the deaths of the students who perished in the blaze, which investigators believe was deliberately started.

The prosecution office has maintained that its decision to charge the eight students while releasing the ninth suspect demonstrates an evidence-based approach to the case and its commitment to a fair and impartial justice process.

The Utumishi Girls Academy fire, one of the deadliest school tragedies in recent years, has sparked renewed national debate over student safety, discipline and the growing number of arson incidents reported in learning institutions across the country.

The tragedy has further fueled calls by some stakeholders for a review of the boarding school model, including proposals to convert dormitories into laboratories and other learning facilities.