NORWICH, England - A 28 year-old Congolese national, Benjamin Katabana, has been found guilty of the murder of Uchenna Okirie, a 33 year-old Nigerian student and University of East Anglia economics graduate. The verdict was delivered at Norwich Crown Court following a trial into the fatal stabbing that occurred late last year.
The incident took place on November 22 at Somerleyton House, a shared accommodation facility in Norwich. According to police reports, Katabana orchestrated a deliberate trap, using WhatsApp messages to lure Okirie, who was known as Uche, into the building’s communal corridor.
CCTV footage presented during the trial captured the moment the two men met. Okirie, who appeared to be focused on his phone, was suddenly attacked by Katabana. Authorities described the assault as a "sustained and brutal" act of violence that included multiple stab wounds and kicks to the head. Despite the severity of the attack, Katabana eventually activated the building's fire alarm before walking to a nearby police station on Bethel Street to surrender. Upon arrival, he told officers, "I have killed someone, I think."
While Katabana’s defense team argued for a charge of manslaughter based on diminished responsibility, citing the defendant’s traumatic upbringing in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the jury rejected this plea and returned a unanimous verdict of murder.
Uchenna Okirie was pronounced dead at the scene shortly after 6:00 a.m. Medical examiners confirmed that he died from a stab wound to the chest. The weapon used in the attack was never recovered, and Katabana remained largely silent throughout police interviews, offering no explanation for his actions.
Senior Investigating Officer Alix Wright condemned the act as a "violent and unprovoked attack," noting that Katabana had armed himself with a knife well before the confrontation. While the family of the late student now seeks to process the loss of their loved one, the court has yet to announce a date for sentencing.
