The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has launched an urgent search for one of seven students linked to the deadly fire at Utumishi Girls Senior Secondary School after revealing that the suspect’s whereabouts remain unknown following her earlier release to her parents.
In a statement issued on May 31, detectives disclosed that the student had been positively identified through CCTV footage analysed by forensic experts but is currently not in police custody, prompting an active manhunt as investigations into the tragedy intensify.
The latest development comes as authorities continue piecing together events surrounding the devastating blaze that swept through the school in Gilgil, Nakuru County, leaving 16 students dead and more than 70 others injured.
According to the DCI, forensic investigators reviewed surveillance footage at the agency’s Forensic Imaging and Acoustic Laboratory and successfully identified seven students believed to have played a role in the incident.
“Of the eight suspects previously arrested, six have been positively identified and confirmed through the footage,” the DCI said.
“The seventh identified student was among those earlier released to their parents and is currently not in custody. Efforts are now underway to trace and arrest her.”
Detectives further confirmed that the remaining six identified students are among the eight suspects who had earlier been arrested and whose identities were verified through the CCTV footage.
The agency described locating the missing student as a critical priority, with investigators pursuing multiple leads in a bid to establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident.
The fire, which broke out on May 28, 2026, ranks among the deadliest school tragedies in recent years and has reignited concerns over student safety in boarding institutions across Kenya.
The shocking incident triggered a wave of grief and condemnation across the country, with senior government officials ordering immediate investigations and promising accountability.
President William Ruto called for a thorough probe into the tragedy, insisting that those responsible would face the full force of the law.
Attorney General Beatrice Oduor and Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen also pledged transparent investigations, with Murkomen confirming that all relevant government agencies had been mobilised to establish the cause of the fire and ensure accountability.
Opposition leaders have meanwhile called for broader reforms to address recurring school fires that have claimed lives over the years.
Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka urged authorities to implement comprehensive safety measures in learning institutions, while the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights criticised what it described as persistent failures to implement previous recommendations aimed at preventing similar disasters.
As investigations continue, post-mortem examinations conducted at Naivasha Sub-County Referral Hospital Mortuary confirmed that all 16 victims died from severe burn injuries.
The examinations were led by pathologist Dr. Dorothy Njeri, who noted that the extent of the burns made visual identification impossible in several cases. Consequently, DNA reference samples were collected from relatives of the victims to facilitate formal identification.
The DCI has appealed to members of the public with information regarding the missing suspect or the ongoing investigation to cooperate with authorities, while extending condolences to the families affected by one of the country’s most devastating school tragedies.
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