Chief Magistrate Abdulqadir Ramadhan ordered the release of one suspect in the Utumishi Girls’ Academy fire case, stating that she was not culpable for the arson that resulted in the deaths of 16 learners. The suspect is to be released to her parents, while eight other suspects will remain in custody for an additional two days, according to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP).

A Naivasha court has approved the transfer of the Utumishi Girls Academy dormitory fire case to Nairobi, where eight students will face 16 murder charges each. This decision follows prosecutors' concerns regarding security and public hostility surrounding the case.

Eight students from Utumishi Girls Academy are set to appear in the High Court in Nairobi on June 26, 2026, for plea-taking after being transferred from a Naivasha court. This transfer follows investigations into a dormitory fire that resulted in the deaths of students. Chief Magistrate Abdulqadir Lorot approved the prosecution's application for their transfer on June 24, 2026.

A court has ordered the release of a ninth suspect in the Utumishi Academy arson case, determining that the student was not culpable of the offence. She will be released into the custody of her parents ahead of the plea taking scheduled for Friday.

Sixteen pupils, aged between 15 and 18, died in a dormitory fire at Utumishi Girls' School last month. In response, Kenyan authorities have announced plans to charge students with murder in connection to the incident, according to BBC World.

The court has extended the detention of suspects involved in the arson case at Utumishi Academy for an additional two days, following an application by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP). This extension is pending plea-taking scheduled for June 26.