Eight subject minors and students from Utumishi Girls Academy who are facing 16 counts of murder following a devastating dormitory fire on May 28, 2026, that killed 16 students and injured 79 others have at Kibera High Court, taken a plea before Justice Diana Kavedza on July 1, 2026. The minors pleaded not guilty of the charges/LEAH MUKANGAI
Eight subject minors from Utumishi Girls Academy have denied 16 counts of murder arising from a dormitory fire that killed 16 students and injured 79 others.
The students appeared before Justice Diana Kavedza at the Kibera High Court on July 1, where they formally took a plea in a case stemming from the May 28, 2026 incident.
All eight pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The prosecution told the court that investigations into the incident led the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions to approve 16 murder counts against the minors.
The charges relate to the dormitory fire that claimed the lives of 16 students and left dozens of others nursing injuries, drawing national attention to school safety and accountability within learning institutions.
Strict measures were put in place during the proceedings to protect the identities of the accused in line with child protection laws.
Children’s officers positioned themselves around the dock to shield the students from public exposure and ensure compliance with legal restrictions on identifying minors facing criminal proceedings.
The court had earlier directed that the identities of the students remain protected throughout the case.
The plea taking followed previous court orders requiring the students to undergo mental assessment to establish whether they were fit to stand trial.
After the plea, the defence urged the court to consider granting bail, arguing that the offence is bailable and asking for reasonable bond terms for the accused.
The defence submitted that despite the gravity of the charges, the minors remain entitled to constitutional protections available to children in conflict with the law.
The prosecution, however, urged the court to consider the continuing impact of the incident on survivors and bereaved families.
“The victims are still undergoing psychological support,” the prosecution told the court.
“We’ve taken the plea, but we must not forget that 16 families have lost their loved ones, and we still have other children suffering physical injuries and emotional injuries.”
Children officers block the dock to protect minors and students of Utumishi Girls Academy at Kibera law courts, Nairobi on July 1, 2026/LEAH MUKANGAI
Trial Judge Diana Kavedza/LEAH MUKANGAI
