Eight students charged with burning dorm in Machakos

Eight students have been charged with burning a dormitory at the St George’s Katheka High School in Machakos County.

The dormitory fire left two students with injuries.

The two girls and six boys on Tuesday appeared before Senior Principal Magistrate E.H. Keago at the Machakos High Court.

One of them pleaded guilty.

According to the prosecution, the eight are said to have joined forces in setting a dormitory named Malawi on fire on July 5, 2019 in Vyulya, Mwala Sub-County.

BOND

Those who pleaded not guilty were granted a Sh50,000 bond each with surety or Sh20,000 cash bail.

Magistrate Keago said he will give direction later on the verdict for the one who pleaded guilty.

The case of the seven will be mentioned on July 16.

The two girls who were injured and who are receiving treatment at the Machakos Level Five Hospital, said they were asleep when they heard shouts of fire.

“I immediately jumped out of the bed and stepped on the fire but I had to walk on it since there was no other option,” said one of the students.

WOKEN BY SHOUTS

“At around 11pm while I was asleep, I heard some shouts from other students. I woke up only to realise my bedding and the socks I had put on were on fire. So I decided to run out to safety. The whole dorm was on fire; there was also fire at the exit but I managed to get out,” the second one narrated.

The nurse in charge of the ward where the girls are admitted said they were brought in with severe burns but they are responding well to treatment.

The two girls had just returned after a trip to Egerton University.