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On Thursday, June 26, Kibera High Court Deputy Registrar Hon. Barbara Akinyi directed that the eight suspects in the Utumishi Girls' Academy fire be taken to the Mathari Mental Hospital for mental assessment.
In a statement issued by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), Akinyi ordered that the assessment be done on Monday, June 29, by a child psychiatrist.
She also ordered that the eight subjects must also undergo an assessment by the Children's Officer at the Kabete Children's home immediately, or by the end of the weekend.
The Court also granted a request by the prosecution for the protection and care files of the subjects to be opened.
"Hon. Akinyi further ordered that protection and care files be opened for all the subjects and that the relevant reports be filed within 30 days," the statement read in part.
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The Deputy Registrar directed that the eight remain in remand at the Kabete Children's Home pending the mention of their case to be mentioned in court.
Additionally, the court ordered the DPP to furnish the court with all prosecution documents before the next mention and demanded that the children's guardians be present.
The matter will be mentioned on Wednesday, July 1, before Lady Justice Diana Kavedza.
The fresh directives came two days after the court released one of the suspects arrested in connection with the fire after it determined that she was not culpable.
16 students died while several others were injured in the early morning inferno at the Meline Waithera Hostel at Utumishi Girls' Academy.
The fire led to a spate of fire incidents reported across several schools across the country, forcing some of the learning institutions to send students home.
The government called for a change in the running of the schools and asked management and parents to consult more with learners to create a conducive learning environment
