Congolese man jailed for life after murdering Nigerian roommate in UK
By Mary Agbabiaka
A 28-year-old man, Benjamin Katabana has been jailed for life with a minimum term of 20 years for murdering fellow resident Uchenna Okirie, 33, in their shared accommodation in Norwich.
Katabana was convicted of murder after a jury rejected his plea of guilty to manslaughter with diminished responsibility, following a sustained knife attack that police described as violent and unprovoked.
The attack happened on 22 November at Somerleyton House on Somerleyton Street, where Okirie was living.
CCTV showed the two men meeting in a communal corridor after Katabana allegedly lured Okirie there through WhatsApp messages. Police said Okirie appeared to be using his phone when Katabana attacked him.
Katabana stabbed Okirie in the chest before repeatedly attacking him and kicking him in the head. Okirie was left face down on the floor and was pronounced dead at the scene shortly after 06:00 GMT.
After the attack, Katabana activated the building’s fire alarm and walked through Norwich to Bethel Street Police Station, where he surrendered to officers, telling them: “I have killed someone, I think.”
At Norwich Crown Court, Judge Bate said Katabana had acted impulsively and had a history of resolving issues through violence. The judge noted that the attack took place in the victim’s home and that Okirie had been “taken by surprise.”
“You act impulsively and resolve issues through violence,” Judge Bate told Katabana.
The court heard that Katabana had five previous convictions for seven offences, including an earlier
incident in which he kicked a person in the head while they were lying on the floor following an assault.
Katabana’s defence argued that his actions were linked to a traumatic upbringing in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
However, he gave no explanation for the killing during police interviews, repeatedly answering “no comment.” The knife used in the attack was never recovered.
Okirie, who was known as Uche, was a University of East Anglia economics graduate. Police said his cause of death was a stab wound to the chest.
Following the verdict, senior investigating officer Alix Wright of Norfolk Police described the killing as “a violent and unprovoked attack.”
She said: “Benjamin Katabana deliberately lured Mr Okirie into the corridor through WhatsApp messages where he intended to meet him, having already armed himself with a knife.”
Wright added: “Our thoughts remain with Uche’s family, and we hope this conviction provides them with a measure of justice for their loss.”
Katabana will serve a minimum of 20 years in prison before he can be considered for release.
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