The High Court in Nairobi has imposed strict confidentiality measures in a case involving eight minors accused over the deadly fire at Utumishi Girls Academy that left 16 students dead.
The accused, all students, appeared before Justice Diana Kavedza at the Kibera High Court where they denied 16 counts of murder linked to the tragic incident.
Given their age, the court ordered enhanced protections, directing that their identities remain fully concealed throughout the proceedings. The minors appeared in court with their faces covered and will be referred to only as “subject minors” in all official records.
Justice Kavedza emphasized that the case must proceed within the framework of child protection laws, ordering the establishment of a confidential register of the accused accessible only to authorized parties in the trial.
“The court must ensure that while justice is pursued, the rights and welfare of the children are fully protected,” she said.
The judge also imposed strict reporting restrictions, warning media houses against publishing any material that could directly or indirectly reveal the identities of the minors involved.
“No report, publication, or broadcast shall directly or indirectly identify any subject minor,” she ruled, adding that violations could undermine the fairness of the proceedings.
The case has drawn attention due to the tension between public interest in a tragedy that claimed 16 lives and the legal safeguards afforded to child offenders under Kenyan law.
Prosecutors told the court that investigations into the fire were completed and that the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) approved 16 murder charges against the eight minors.
However, defence lawyers have opposed the prosecution’s push to deny bail, arguing that the accused should be released on favourable terms while awaiting trial.
The court is yet to determine the bail application, with the matter set to proceed under strict confidentiality orders.
Legal experts note that the case will test the balance between criminal accountability and child protection principles, as the judiciary navigates a highly sensitive prosecution involving minors accused of a mass casualty incident.
The fire at Utumishi Girls Academy, which claimed 16 students’ lives, remains one of the most closely watched school tragedy cases in recent years.
