Benjamin Katabana, a 28-year-old Congolese man, has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of his Nigerian roommate, Uchenna Okirie, in Norwich, United Kingdom. The sentence was handed down at Norwich Crown Court on Friday, August 7, after a jury found Katabana guilty of murder in June following an 11-day trial. He must serve a minimum of 20 years before becoming eligible for release.
Fatal Attack in Shared Accommodation
The court heard that Katabana fatally stabbed 33-year-old Okirie, popularly known as Uche, in the communal corridor of the accommodation they shared at Somerleyton House on Somerleyton Street, Norwich, on November 22, 2025. According to Norfolk Constabulary, Okirie was using his phone when Katabana attacked him with a knife. Katabana initially stabbed Okirie once before repeatedly attacking him and kicking him in the head while he lay on the floor.
Okirie was pronounced dead at the scene shortly after 6am. A post-mortem examination found that he died from a stab wound to the chest. After the killing, Katabana activated the building’s fire alarm and walked to Bethel Street Police Station, where he surrendered to officers. He reportedly told police: “I have killed someone, I think.” The murder weapon was never recovered, and Katabana declined to explain his actions during police interviews, repeatedly responding “no comment”.
Court Proceedings and Sentencing
At Norwich Crown Court, Katabana had pleaded guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility but was subsequently convicted of murder by a jury. Judge Bate sentenced him to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 20 years. The judge noted that Katabana had five previous convictions for seven offences, including an earlier incident in which he kicked someone in the head while they were lying on the floor following an assault. “You act impulsively and resolve issues through violence,” the judge told him.
Katabana’s defence argued that his actions were linked to a traumatic upbringing in the Democratic Republic of Congo. However, the court heard that he had already armed himself with a knife before contacting Okirie and arranging to meet him.
Police Statement and Impact
Senior investigating officer Alix Wright of Norfolk Police described the killing as a deliberate attack. “This was a violent and unprovoked attack,” Wright 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.” She added that the police’s thoughts remained with Okirie’s family and expressed hope that the conviction would provide them with “a measure of justice” for their loss.
Okirie, who was 33 at the time of his death, was a graduate of the University of East Anglia, where he studied economics. The life sentence ensures that Katabana will spend at least two decades in prison before any possibility of release, reflecting the severity of the attack.
