Some 16 students at Kapenguria Boys High School in West Pokot County are under investigations in connection with the fire that destroyed an equipment store and part of the school library.
The fire broke out on the night of June 8, 2026, between 10 pm. and midnight while students were in their dormitories.
Security personnel manning the school were the first to notice smoke billowing from the store, which housed solar equipment, before the flames spread and damaged part of the school’s library.
The incident prompted a multi-agency response involving the County Fire Department , the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and the Crime Scene Investigation Unit, which processed the scene to establish the cause of the fire and assess the extent of damage caused.
According to the assessment by the Quality Assurance department, the fire destroyed solar equipment and damaged part of the library, with the estimated loss amounting to approximately Sh7 million.
Following the incident, the school was closed to pave way for investigations, with students having been sent home as detectives gathered evidence. Learning resumed later after conclusion of investigations.
Before reopening, however, parents were instructed to clear the remaining school fees and pay an additional Sh11,270 per student. The directive sparked concerns among parents, some of whom questioned the basis of the additional levy before the full cost of the damage had been established.
On the night of July 10 detectives from the DCI visited the school and arrested 16 students suspected of involvement in the fire. The students were later released to their parents as investigations continues.
Kapenguria and Kipkomo Sub-County DCIO Bakari Ndzovu said the arrests were made to facilitate investigations, including the analysis of CCTV footage captured by surveillance cameras installed at strategic locations within the school.
Ndzovu said detectives were working to establish individual responsibility and emphasized that investigations were still ongoing.
“We are analyzing all available evidence, including CCTV footage and witness statements. Any person found culpable will be arraigned in court in accordance with the law,” he said.
The DCIO disclosed that only one of the 16 students under investigation is above the age of 18, while the remaining suspects are minors explaining that under Kenya’s legal framework, minors are not required to remain in police cells.
The investigation has continued to attract public interest, with parents and education stakeholders seeking clarity on several aspects of the case, including the additional levy imposed on learners and the handling of students during investigations.
Efforts by journalists to obtain a response from the school’s principal, Moses Ndeda, were unsuccessful.
Meanwhile, Ndzovu called on schools across the country to strengthen surveillance by installing Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras, saying the technology has become an important tool in crime detection and investigations.
He also urged parents to maintain open communication with their children and encourage them to express grievances through established channels instead of resorting to acts of violence or destruction of school property.
The DCIO noted that incidents of arson targeting school facilities have become a recurring concern in recent years and appealed to learners to desist from such acts, warning that those found responsible for criminal offences would face the full force of the law.
As investigations continue, detectives say further action will be guided by the evidence collected, including forensic findings and CCTV footage, with any suspects found to have played a role in the fire expected to be charged before the courts of law.
By Parklea Ivor
