Teacher and two students held over arson

A teacher and two students have been arrested over arson attacks.

The teacher was arrested for allegedly inciting students of St Teresa Girls Bikeke in Kitale to burn three dormitories over delayed breakfast.

One of the arrested students is from the neighbouring St Teresa Boys Bikeke after he was allegedly found setting his bedding on fire on Tuesday night as other students were asleep.

The 19-year-old student was spotted by another student setting the bedding on fire. The witness raised the alarm and the fire was put out.

The student was arrested as he tried to escape through the fence.

At Bikeke Girls, the students had complained to the teacher on duty that cooks had delayed to serve them tea. The teacher allegedly asked them to set the school on fire to express their disappointment. It is then that a group of students set ablaze one of their dormitories on Sunday evening.

One of the students, who police are expected to parade as a witness, told detectives that the teacher told them to burn their dormitory.

Trans Nzoia County Commander Lillian Okembo confirmed the arrest of the teacher and two students, adding that the trio will be arraigned in court to face charges of arson.

Okembo also disclosed that investigations had been launched after a driver tried to gain entry into St Monica Girls, claiming that the headmistress had requested for petrol to be delivered to the school.

Meanwhile, parents at the schools affected by fire in Trans Nzoia County are planning to stage protests to compel the Ministry of Education to find a lasting solution to the menace.

The parents of Immaculate Mukuyu Boys Secondary, St. Francis Suwerwa Boys, and St. Teresa Girls Bikeke plan to march to the education offices in Kitale.

Dormitories in the three schools have been razed in the last one week.

More than 100 students have been arrested in a crackdown on a wave of arson attacks in public boarding schools.