A Nyeri court has set free 11 former Endarasha Boys High School students who had been charged with murder.
The former students were accused of setting a dormitory on fire that killed two fellow students Kennedy Karogo and Joseph Mwangi on October 17, 2010. The dormitory was said to have housed 180 form one students.
The accused students before court Friday were Peter Njoroge, David Ndung’u, Andrew Kandia, Stephen Ndirangu, Wilson Wahome, Derick Wambugu, Kevin Muya, Arnold Mwaura, Gerison Mwangi, Tylene Oyugi, Ayub Kung’u, Davin Ndung’u Edward Karugu.
In acquitting the students, the court stated that the prosecution failed to prove their case beyond reasonable doubt.
Delivering the judgment, Nyeri High Court Judge Jairus Ngaah ruled that the prosecution failed to link the accused persons to the incident and that evidence presented before court failed to reach the required threshold.
“In the ultimate, the prosecution case failed, not necessarily because some of the accused persons may be innocent, but because investigations were poorly conducted and therefore it is not possible for this court to pick the perpetrators of this crime,” ruled Justice Ngaah thereby setting the students free.
By Beth Ndirangu
