Some 12 students from Maiani Girls Secondary School in Mukaa Sub-county, Makueni County have been arrested for allegedly torching their dormitory on Thursday morning.
The students were arrested after the dorm that houses 177 form two and three students was razed down in a suspected arson attack at 7.20am.
The suspects were not in class when the fire occurred as they were carrying out a punishment for indiscipline.
“The 12 are suspected to be behind the fire as all other students were already in class,” said Makueni County Police Commander, Joseph Ole Naipeyan, while confirming the incident on Thursday.
The students are being held at Salama Police Station and are helping the police with investigations.
He said no injuries were reported as all other students were in class apart from the culprits.
Ole Naipeyan added that nothing was salvaged and all the student’s belongings were consumed in the inferno.
The County Commander also disclosed that 11 rolls of bhang and a match box were discovered in the burnt dormitory popularly known as Mega.
He said the rolls were linked to a form two student who was suspended last Friday for being in possession of the narcotics.
Consequently, the school had been closed indefinitely following a meeting of the Board of Management, Education officials and school administration.
The incident comes barely five days after a similar incident occurred at Mukaa Boys High School in the same Sub-county.
Speaking separately, Makueni County Commissioner (CC), Mr Maalim Mohammed, directed the Public Works officers to give an estimate of the damages caused by the inferno in the two schools.
“Parents should be ready to bear the cost of the destruction of the dormitories in the two neighbouring schools,” he said.
Five students from Mukaa Boys have already been arraigned in court and the remaining 1,260 students sent home indefinitely to allow the reconstruction of the damaged one storied dormitory.
He called on school principals to ensure all dormitories in their premises are secured, especially when students are in class to prevent such ugly incidents from occurring in future.
By Patrick Nyakundi
