The recent ruling by a Nairobi court has determined that four former students of Lang’ata Boys High School have a case to answer over the burning down of a dormitory named after Azimio la Umoja leader Raila Odinga. The four individuals were among 12 former students who were arrested for committing the offense in 2016, with eight of them being acquitted due to a lack of evidence. The Director of Public Prosecutions was able to establish a prima facie case against the remaining four, who were in Form Four at the time of the incident.
The 12 students had been accused of burning two classrooms, a dormitory, and a teacher’s house valued at KSh 5.4 million. The teacher on duty at the time, Pamela Auma, testified that the fire broke out during the students’ evening meal, and that she was in charge of between 500 and 600 students that day. The principal was not present when the fire broke out, but he was living in one of the burnt houses with his family.
The four individuals who have been deemed to have a case to answer will now be put on their own defense. The trial court found that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt, but had failed to table sufficient evidence against the eight other students who were subsequently acquitted. The case will resume on April 18 for further directions.
