Former Who’s Smarter Now television host Regina Re, whose real name is Regina Wangui Macharia, has been detained alongside three other suspects for 10 days as detectives investigate the killing of her 86-year-old mother, Dorita Lasinder Macharia, at her home in Loresho, Nairobi.
The four were presented before a Nairobi court on Monday, November 2, 2026, where Magistrate Barbara Akinyi granted police permission to hold them at Gigiri Police Station as investigations continue.
The prosecution had initially requested 15 days to complete investigations but the court granted 10 days. The case will be mentioned again on November 12.
According to the prosecution, detectives are yet to retrieve and analyse CCTV footage from the Loresho estate, record statements from witnesses believed to have been present and examine fingerprints collected as part of the investigation.
Investigators also want to obtain mobile phone call data records from the suspects and forward the investigation file to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) for further directions.
The prosecution told the court that releasing the suspects could interfere with investigations, particularly through possible contact with or intimidation of witnesses. It also disclosed that one of the respondents is a granddaughter of the deceased.
However, the defence opposed the application, arguing that the prosecution had not provided sufficient reasons to justify continued detention.
Lawyers representing some of the suspects told the court that their clients had already recorded statements and surrendered their mobile phones to investigators.
They further questioned the need to keep them in custody while the remaining investigative procedures were being undertaken.
In her ruling, Magistrate Akinyi observed that investigations were still at an early and sensitive stage, allowing police additional time to complete their work.
Macharia was found dead inside her Loresho residence on the night of Friday, October 30, 2026. Her body was reportedly discovered in a pool of blood, with deep cut wounds.
Senior Counsel Philip Murgor, who represents the deceased’s family, confirmed that the 86-year-old had sustained injuries when her body was discovered.
Murgor told Citizen TV that there was considerable blood inside the premises, adding that the circumstances surrounding her death did not appear natural.
He also disclosed that one of Macharia’s sons was among those initially taken into custody after being found within the premises.
Police had initially arrested six people of interest as they sought to establish what happened at the elderly woman’s residence. Four were subsequently presented in court in connection with the investigations.
A postmortem examination was yet to be conducted by the time of Monday’s court proceedings, with the prosecution telling the court that the cause of death had not been formally established.
Regina Re rose to prominence as the host of the popular television game show Who’s Smarter Now?, which aired between 1999 and 2006 and made her a familiar face among Kenyan television audiences.
The four suspects will remain in police custody as detectives pursue outstanding forensic and witness-related investigations. No conviction has been made in the matter.
