A Congolese man has been found guilty of murdering a UK-based Nigerian student following a fatal knife attack at a shared accommodation building in Norwich, England.
Benjamin Katabana, 28, was convicted of the murder of Uchenna Okirie, 33, after a jury at Norwich Crown Court rejected his plea of manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.
The incident occurred on November 22, 2025, at Somerleyton House, a multi-occupancy residential building on Somerleyton Street in Norwich.
According to police, Okirie, a graduate of the University of East Anglia, was attacked in a communal corridor of the building where both men lived. Investigators described the assault as sustained and unprovoked.
CCTV footage presented during the trial reportedly showed the two men meeting in the corridor shortly before the attack. Police said Okirie appeared to be using his mobile phone when Katabana launched the assault.
Prosecutors told the court that Katabana stabbed Okirie multiple times and also kicked him during the attack. Emergency responders were called to the scene, but the victim was pronounced dead shortly after 6 a.m. The cause of death was identified as a stab wound to the chest.
Following the incident, Katabana activated the building’s fire alarm before making his way to a police station, where he surrendered himself to officers.
According to police, he told officers: “I have killed someone, I think.”
During the investigation, the murder weapon was never recovered, and Katabana reportedly declined to explain his actions during police interviews.
The defense argued that Katabana’s actions were influenced by psychological issues linked to a traumatic upbringing in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. However, jurors ultimately found him guilty of murder.
Speaking after the verdict, Senior Investigating Officer Alix Wright described the killing as a deliberate and violent 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 investigators hope the conviction provides some measure of justice for the victim’s family.
“Our thoughts remain with Uche’s family, and we hope this conviction provides them with a measure of justice for their loss,” she said.
A date for Katabana’s sentencing has not yet been announced.
