DCI shares new update in Utumishi Girls fire investigation

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has identified students suspected to have been involved in the arson attack at Utumishi Girls Senior Secondary School in Gilgil that left 16 learners dead, according to a new update on the ongoing investigation.

In a statement issued by the National Police Service through the DCI headquarters, investigators said forensic analysis of CCTV footage, supported by enhanced review at the Forensic Imaging and Acoustic Laboratory at the National Police Service Forensics Laboratory, led to the “positive identification” of students who allegedly set the fire on Thursday, May 28, 2026.

The footage, reviewed in collaboration with school staff, enabled investigators to identify seven students believed to have participated in the arson before fleeing the scene. 

Of the eight suspects previously arrested, six have now been confirmed through the CCTV analysis. 

One of the identified students had earlier been released to her parents and remains at large, with police saying efforts are underway to trace and arrest her.

The fire at the Gilgil-based school, located in Nakuru County, claimed the lives of 16 students, all of whom succumbed to severe burn injuries, according to post-mortem examinations conducted at Naivasha Sub-County Referral Hospital Mortuary. 

The examinations were carried out by a team of pathologists led by Dr. Dorothy Njeri.

Health officials and Kenya Red Cross teams provided psychosocial support to bereaved families at the hospital, where relatives were also allowed to view the bodies of their loved ones. 

DNA samples were collected from families to support formal identification, given the extent of the burns.

The National Police Service expressed condolences to the affected families, friends, and the school community, and commended parents, guardians, and students for cooperating with investigators during the process. 

It also urged members of the public with additional information to come forward to assist ongoing inquiries.

“The DCI remains committed to conducting a thorough, professional, and impartial inquiry to deliver justice for the victims and their families,” the statement said.