NAIROBI, Kenya — Eight students from Utumishi Girls Academy have pleaded not guilty to 16 counts of murder arising from the school fire that claimed the lives of 16 learners, as the High Court ordered that the trial be conducted under strict confidentiality to protect the accused, who are all minors.
The eight students appeared before Justice Diana Kavedza at the Kibera High Court on Wednesday, where they denied all the charges related to the deadly fire that shocked the country.
Recognising that the accused are children, the court directed that their identities remain protected throughout the proceedings. The students appeared in court with their faces covered, and Justice Kavedza ordered that they be referred to only as “subject minors.”
“The subject minors are charged with murder,” Justice Kavedza said.
The judge further ordered the creation of a confidential court register containing the identities of the accused. Access to the register will be restricted to parties directly involved in the case.
Justice Kavedza also imposed strict reporting restrictions, barring the publication or broadcast of any information that could directly or indirectly reveal the identities of the minors.
“No report, publication, or broadcast shall directly or indirectly identify any subject minor,” the court ruled.
While permitting accredited journalists to cover the proceedings, the judge stressed that the constitutional rights, dignity and welfare of the children must be safeguarded throughout the trial.
The court also cautioned members of the public and the media against making comments that could prejudice the proceedings, urging all parties to allow the judicial process to unfold without interference.
The charges follow investigations into the devastating fire at Utumishi Girls Academy, which killed 16 students and prompted one of the country’s most extensive school fire investigations in recent years.
Following the completion of investigations, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions approved 16 counts of murder against the eight minors.
Because the accused are children, the proceedings will be conducted under Kenya’s legal framework governing child offenders, requiring the court to balance the gravity of the allegations with the constitutional obligation to uphold the best interests and rights of children.
The prosecution has opposed the release of the accused on bail, arguing they should remain in custody as the case proceeds.
Defence lawyers, however, have asked the court to grant the students favourable bail terms pending trial.
Justice Kavedza has yet to determine the prosecution’s application opposing bail.