Five students from Kijabe Boys High School in Lari constituency, Kiambu county, were on Tuesday arraigned for arson charges.
However, they were arraigned virtually before Limuru senior principal magistrate Jared Magori, where they denied the charges.
Magori ordered each to be released on a bond of Sh200,000 or surety of the same amount or a cash bail of Sh100,000.
They were charged that on August 30 they set the school’s dormitory on fire during the lunch hour break destroying the school and students’ properties.
The magistrate ordered the case to be mentioned on September 20 and also scheduled a hearing on January 9, 2023.
The students were escorted back to the Lari police station since no one has bailed them out.
They were being held at the station as DCI officers are conducting investigations.
At the same time, parents have been asked to advise their children to conduct themselves well in schools and other institutions to minimise subjecting them to hefty fines.
James Kamau, a parent said that most parents have been frustrated by their children’s misconduct in schools that have seen them expelled, for damaging classrooms, dormitories and other structures.
Kamau has urged parents to pull up their socks while instilling discipline in their children.
He said lack of or inadequate parental advisory has left teenagers misbehaving and failing to control their emotions when frustrated or overwhelmed by their studies.
“We must take up the role of instilling discipline in our children. No parent would want to be called to schools to listen to cases of their children’s misconduct. It is very shameful and in bad taste," Kamau said.
(Edited by Tabnacha O)
