A Form Three student of Kisii High School was yesterday arraigned before Kisii Senior Resident Magistrate, Steve Onjoro and denied attempting to murder  two teachers at the school.

The 17-year-old (name withheld because he is a minor), who was represented by lawyer Ben Gichana was charged with two counts that on January 12, at the school in Kisii Central sub-county harmed two teachers, Edwin Mokaya and Elvis Maoto with a knife.

Onjoro freed him on Sh100,000 with a surety of similar amount or a cash bail of Sh50,000 failure to which he be remanded at Manga Children’s Home. The case will be mentioned on January 27.

He directed Gichana and prosecution, led by Hilary Kaino to get statements of the victims.

The lawyer said he was unable to get them since Mokaya was still admitted at a private hospital.

Summoned student 

Kisii County Director of Education, Pius Ng’oma the teacher, Mokaya, had summoned the student to the office to inquire why he was late for preps and asked him to kneel down, only for the student to draw a knife from his socks and stab him.

His colleague, Maoto, who was in the office at the time went to Mokaya’s rescue but was also stabbed before other students rushed into the office, subdued the attacker and rescued the teachers.

Ng’oma said students wanted to lynch the attacker but were restrained by the school’s Principal, Maurice Ogutu, who called security officers, whisked him away and saved his life.

“The student was taken away by security officers for safety because other students were baying for his blood and wanted to lynch him,” Ng’oma said.

Bought knife for suicide

The education official further revealed that the attacker late confessed to him that he had bought the knife to commit suicide due to frustrations he experienced at home during the long closure of learning institutions.

Meanwhile, Kisii County Kenya Union of Kenya of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) leaders have urged school heads to enhance surveillance in their respective institutions to beef up security.

Led by Executive Secretary, Omari Otungu, the officials appealed to the heads to be wary of students’ behaviors, guide and counsel rogue ones to foster discipline.

Otungu, flanked by the Union’s chairman said; “students stayed home for long due to Covid 19. Some might have joined cults and radicalised.”  

He implored the school heads to conduct periodic searches in students’ dorms to ensure that the learners have no dangerous weapons which they can use to cause violence.

The official challenged parents to monitor their children, guide and counsel wayward ones instead of leaving them to teachers.

He appealed to the parents to pay fees to schools on time to enable teachers to manage the schools well to enhance the students’ education and performance in national examinations.