A court in Oyugis has granted police permission to continue detaining seven students linked to torching of a dormitory at Ober Boys High School.
The court allowed the police to continue holding the students as they continue investigating the arson attack on the school dormitories allegedly carried out by the seven suspects.
The fire incident occurred on Monday morning when students were in their classrooms. It affected 167 students.
On Wednesday, the seven suspects were arraigned at Oyugis law courts but failed to take plea after the police handling the matter requested to get more time for investigations.
The students are in Form 2 at the school.
The police, led by Rachuonyo South Directorate of Criminal Investigations officer Mark Lipale, said they needed more time to pursue the issue on grounds that some suspects had not been arrested.
Lipale signed an affidavit before principal magistrate Celesa Okore granted him the permission.
“The police have not recorded statements from witnesses to aid in prosecution of suspects. The debris collected from the scene have also not been analysed,” Lipale said.
The evidence was sent to a government chemist in Kisumu for analysis but experts have not analysed them to establish the cause of the fire.
Investigative officers are also waiting for a report from the county fire department to help in their investigations.
“I pray this honourable court will grant me five more days to complete investigations in order to properly question the suspects,” the DCI officer asked the court.
Okore issued orders for the suspects to be detained as investigations continue.
“The permission is therefore granted for the DCI to continue holding the suspects as they carry further investigations. They will avail the suspects at later dates as the court may order,” the magistrate said.
The suspects are expected to take plea on Monday next week.
(edited by Amol Awuor)
