Three students of Murray Girls in custody over plans to burn school

Police are holding three students from Murray Girls High School for suspected arson attempt.

The institution is one of the oldest and the best performing secondary schools in the Coast region constructed in 1905 by the Church Missionary Society.

This brings to five the number of students so far arrested for alleged arson in the region. Two other students from St Mary’s Boys High School in Lushangonyi were also arrested for burning a dormitory last Sunday.

Mwatate Sub County Police Commander Abdille Ahmed confirmed the arrest and said the suspects will be taken to court this week.

The police commander said officers recovered a jerry can full of petrol, firewood and books which the students were planning to use to torch one of the dormitories at the school with over 700 students.

“The Form Three students confessed that they wanted to burn the school and we recovered some exhibits from them. We will seek a custodial order to detain them and complete our investigations before charging them,” Ahmed told The Standard yesterday.

On the St Mary’s Boys incident, the boys are being held at Wundanyi Police Station.

“The students are being held for arson and destruction to property,” County Police Commander Patrick Okeri said.

County Director of Education Samuel Wanjohi said he had sent the sub-county Director of Education to the school to assess the damage caused by the inferno.

“I am still waiting for a full report about the matter,” said.