A 28-year-old Congolese national, Benjamin Katabana, has been sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 20 years for murdering his Nigerian roommate, Uchenna Okirie, in Norwich, United Kingdom (UK).
Katabana was convicted of murder at Norwich Crown Court after an 11-day trial in which jurors rejected his claim that the killing amounted to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.
The fatal attack occurred in the early hours of November 22, 2025, at Somerleyton House, a shared accommodation facility in Norwich where Katabana and Okirie lived.
Police said Katabana used WhatsApp messages to lure 33-year-old Okirie into a communal corridor before attacking him with a knife.
CCTV footage captured the confrontation and showed Katabana armed with a knife before launching what investigators described as a sustained attack.
Okirie was stabbed and repeatedly attacked before Katabana kicked him in the head as he lay on the floor.
Emergency services were called to Somerleyton House at about 5:22am after reports that a man had been found unresponsive and bleeding.
Despite efforts by medical personnel to save him, Okirie was pronounced dead at 6:01am.
A post-mortem examination established that he died from a stab wound to the chest.
After the attack, Katabana activated the building’s fire alarm and left the accommodation. He later walked to Bethel Street Police Station, where he surrendered to officers.
He reportedly told police, “I have killed someone, I think.”
Katabana subsequently declined to explain his actions during police interviews, repeatedly responding “no comment”. The murder weapon was also never recovered.
At Norwich Crown Court, Katabana denied murder but offered a guilty plea to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.
His defence argued that his actions were linked to a traumatic upbringing in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The jury, however, rejected the defence and returned a unanimous verdict of murder.
Senior Investigating Officer Alix Wright described the killing as a deliberate and unprovoked attack.
“This was a violent and unprovoked attack,” Wright said.
She added that Katabana had deliberately lured Okirie into the corridor through WhatsApp messages after already arming himself with a knife.
“Our thoughts remain with Uche’s family, and we hope this conviction provides them with a measure of justice for their loss,” Wright said.
The court subsequently handed Katabana a life sentence with a minimum term of 20 years. He must serve at least 20 years before he can be considered for release under the terms of the sentence.
Okirie, popularly known as Uche, was a former postgraduate student of the University of East Anglia, where he studied development economics.
Following his death, Nigerians living in Norwich launched a fundraising campaign to help repatriate his remains to Nigeria and support funeral arrangements.
The Nigerian community described Okirie as a compassionate man who was known for helping newly arrived international students and supporting people navigating life in the UK.
His death had sparked grief among friends, former colleagues and members of the Nigerian community in Norwich.
Katabana’s conviction and subsequent life sentence now bring a major stage of the legal proceedings over Okirie’s killing to a close.
