11 students arraigned in Nyeri over attempted arson

Eleven students of Kagumo High and Kiandu Secondary schools who are facing charges of attempted arson will remain in police custody until Wednesday, a Nyeri court has ruled.

While issuing the orders on Monday, Senior Principal Magistrate James Macharia said that the minors could not take plea as they were not legally represented.

Three students from Kagumo High School are accused of conspiring to burn a section of the school on Sunday, November 7 at 8pm.

Charge sheets produced in court show that they were found in possession of 500 millilitres of methylated spirit, one and a half litres of paraffin, a matchbox and a grey trouser.

“…circumstances that indicate the suspects had the intent to commit a felony,” the document reads in part.

For their part, the eight students of Kiandu Secondary School are accused of attempting to burn the Form One block and toilets of the school on November 3 at 8pm.

Record the minors’ statements

But during the court session, the students told the court that the schools conducted investigations on the incident hazily and did not catch the real culprits.

The Kagumo students said that they were framed by their colleagues even though they admitted to knowing the perpetrators.

The Kiandu students, who are in Form Two, told the court they were charged for failing to disclose the planned arson.

The magistrate asked the Directorate of Public Prosecutions led by Allan Wanjohi to record the minors’ statements and use some of them as witnesses in the case.

“Meanwhile, the minors should be allocated State counsels to represent them before they appear in court again,” directed Mr Macharia.

The students will remain at Kiganjo and Nyeri police stations until November 10, when they will take plea.