A man in Murang’a County has been sentenced to one year in jail for attempting to deliver petrol to students of Kaharo Girls’ High School.
Victor Karanja, who was also found in possession of 3-quarter litres of alcohol, was ordered to pay Ksh50,000 fine alongside the jail term.
The convict, who worked as a mason in the school, was intercepted on Tuesday 2, as he tried to sneak five litres of petrol and a bottle of alcohol into the school, who upon interrogation admitted that he was sent by the students.
Kigumo Courthouse Senior Principal Magistrate Kibet Sambu said that while the suspect was not directly linked with the intended crime, his own admission of possessing the items for delivery to the minors proved beyond reasonable doubt that there was an intent to commit a crime.
“By the look of things and in consideration of growing cases of student unrest where arson has dominated current affairs, your admission that you were on your way to deliver flammable material and alcoholic drink to minors is highly suspect and incriminates you to a very stupid criminal plot among the students,” said the Magistrate.
The school management believed that the fuel was meant for arson in the school, after students burnt down Kahuhia Girls’ High School in the same county, Tuesday evening.
Murang’a County Commissioner confirmed that one dormitory and students’ property was destroyed in the incident, although no one was injured.
Cases of arson in high schools have been on the rise, with more than 30 schools reporting cases of unrest this term.
The arraignment and subsequent conviction of Karanja add to the accusations that rogue causal workers in schools could be aiding students to break the law.
