NAIROBI — A Nairobi court has ordered former television host Regina Wambui Gitau, popularly known as Regina Re, and three relatives to remain in police custody for 10 days as detectives investigate the death of her 86-year-old mother, Dorita Lasinder Macharia, at her home in Loresho. Citizen
Macharia was found dead on the evening of October 30, 2026, inside her residence at Loresho Ridge Estate, lying in a pool of blood with a deep cut wound on the left side of her neck. Police have treated the death as a murder. Vantageke
The four held at Gigiri Police Station are:
- Regina Wambui Gitau (Regina Re), the deceased’s daughter and former host of the KTN game show Who’s Smarter Now? (1999–2006);
- Thandie Malaika Wanjiku Gitao, Regina’s daughter and the deceased’s granddaughter;
- Alton (Antony/Jimmy) Macharia, the deceased’s son and Regina’s brother;
- Immanuel (Emmanuel) Waigwe Munyeki, identified as Thandie’s boyfriend. Nation
They appeared before Magistrate Barbara Akinyi at Kibera Law Courts on Monday, November 2. Prosecutors, through Faith Musoma, had sought 15 days to complete investigations. The court granted 10 days, citing the early and sensitive stage of the probe. The case will be mentioned on November 12. Radiogeneration
According to an affidavit by investigating officer PC David Njoroge, preliminary inquiries indicate that Macharia disagreed with her granddaughter Thandie on the night of her death after allegedly finding her in a compromising situation with her boyfriend inside the home. The elderly woman is said to have ordered Thandie and others to leave and demanded the room keys. A commotion followed; Thandie reportedly left and later returned, remaining with her grandmother for about an hour before Macharia was found with the fatal injuries. Some relatives are alleged to have arrived and attempted to clean the scene. Kahawatungu
Detectives are still analysing CCTV footage from the estate, conducting forensic examinations and a postmortem, obtaining phone records, taking fingerprint samples, and recording statements from witnesses and household staff. The investigation remains ongoing, and no charges have been finalized. Citizen
Regina Re rose to prominence in the late 1990s and early 2000s as the host of the popular question-and-answer game show Who’s Smarter Now?. Her detention, along with close family members, has drawn public attention as investigators piece together the events surrounding the death of the 86-year-old matriarch.