NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 24 – The High Court in Naivasha has allowed the continued detention of eight students linked to the deadly Utumishi Girls Academy fire that claimed the lives of sixteen students, paving the way for their arraignment on murder charges on Friday.

The court granted an application by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) to hold the suspects for two additional days pending plea-taking on June 26 in a case that has intensified national concern over a growing wave of arson incidents in schools.

Chief Magistrate Abdulqadir Ramadhan Lorot issued the order on Wednesday when the matter came up for mention to confirm the status of investigations and provide further directions.

During the proceedings, the prosecution team led by Deputy Regional Coordinator for Rift Valley Emmah Bosire, alongside Naivasha ODPP head Emma Okok and prosecutor Joseck Abwajo, informed the court that the Director of Public Prosecutions had approved murder charges against the suspects.

“The prosecution team, led by Deputy Regional Coordinator (Rift Valley) Ms. Emmah Bosire, assisted by Ms. Emma Okok, In-Charge Naivasha, and Mr. Joseck Abwajo, informed the court that the DPP had approved charges against the suspects for the offence of Murder contrary to Section 203 as read together with Section 204 of the Penal Code,” ODPP said.

The court, however, ordered the release of one suspect after investigators established that she was not criminally responsible for the offence.

The student was directed to be released into the custody of her parents.

The remaining eight suspects will remain in lawful custody at either the Nakuru Children Remand Home or the Nairobi Children Remand Home until their scheduled court appearance on Friday.

The latest development comes a day after the ODPP approved 16 counts of murder arising from the inferno that devastated the Nakuru County school and left families across the country mourning one of Kenya’s deadliest school fire disasters in recent years.

In a statement issued Tuesday, the ODPP said it had reviewed a preliminary inquiry file submitted by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and found sufficient evidence to support murder charges against the implicated students.

“The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions has received and reviewed the preliminary inquiry file submitted by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations regarding the arson incident that occurred at Utumishi Girls Academy in Nakuru County on 28th May 2026,” the prosecution office said.

The fire, which killed 16 students, triggered a complex investigation involving forensic experts, detectives and prosecutors seeking to establish the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.

While nine students had initially been arrested in connection with the incident, only eight are now expected to face prosecution after one suspect was cleared by investigators.

Beyond the Utumishi case, the ODPP expressed concern over an apparent rise in arson attacks and other criminal incidents in learning institutions, warning that perpetrators would be held fully accountable.

“The DPP notes with concern the recent increase in reported incidents of arson and other acts of criminal conduct in educational institutions across the country,” the agency said.