Five out of twelve Maranda High School students arrested in connection with a dormitory fire have been released on a Sh30,000 cash bail by a Bondo court.

The five suspects, who were arraigned before Bondo Chief Magistrate Douglas Ogoti, pleaded not guilty to arson charges.

The court heard that on May 24, 2026, the students jointly, willfully, and unlawfully set fire to the Owino ‘B’ dormitory, a property of Maranda High School valued at Sh2 million.

Following investigations, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) opted to charge only five students with arson, while four others will testify as state witnesses.

The remaining three students were released without charges due to a lack of evidence linking them to the incident.

The defense counsel, Lawi Ogutu, lobbied for the suspects to be granted a free bond.

He argued that the students were not flight risks because their details are securely captured in the National Education Management Information System (NEMIS).

However, Magistrate Ogoti rejected the application, aligning instead with the ODPP’s proposal to set bail terms commensurate with the extensive damage to the school property.

The case is scheduled for mention on June 15, 2026, with hearings set for June 22, 23, 29, and 30, 2026.