Dozens of students of Dr Aggrey Boys High School in Taita Taveta County have been grilled by the police over last month’s fire that destroyed property worth millions of shillings in the school.
According to the school board of management, the fire left a trail of destruction amounting to Sh5.5 million that parents paid to rebuild the destroyed infrastructures.
Taita Sub County Police Commander Onesmus Kombe confirmed that a number of students were questioned by officers from Taita Sub County CID officers over the outbreak of the fire.
The police commander could not, however, disclose the total number of students questioned, saying investigations are still going on.
“I can confirm to you that some students have been questioned by the CID officers over the fire incidents, and once we are through with our investigations, we will give all the details,” Mr. Kombe spoke to The Standard at his Wundanyi town offices yesterday.
The police commander spoke as scores of parents had already transferred their children to other schools.
“We have decided to seek transfers for our children to other schools,” revealed a parent from Mombasa we caught up with in Wundanyi town yesterday.
Robert Aran, the school’s principal, confirmed that they had identified the boys who caused the fire and handed the suspects to the police for action.
“So far no expulsion has been effected, but we have gotten the boys who caused the fire, and the matter is with the police. Our grilling and investigations have borne fruit,” stated the principal.
But Kombe said they will not rely on investigations done by the school. “We are doing our own investigations, and once we are through with it, action will be taken against those involved in the criminal act,” warned the police boss.
The two infernos that resulted in the closure of the school with over 2,200 students.
Mr Aran said the school was reopened on February 20th this year with each parent paying a damage fee of Sh2,500 and fee arrears.