UK court has sentenced 28-year-old Benjamin Katabana to life imprisonment for the murder of his Nigerian roommate, Uchenna Okirie, in Norwich.
Katabana will spend a minimum of 20 years in prison before he can be considered for release after being found guilty of killing the 33-year-old former University of East Anglia economics student.
The incident occurred on November 22 at Somerleyton House on Somerleyton Street, where both men lived.
A report by the BBC, cited by PUNCH Online on Tuesday, said Katabana used WhatsApp to arrange a meeting with Okirie, also known as Uche, before confronting him in a communal area of their residence.
Police said Okirie was looking at his phone when Katabana attacked him with a knife. He was stabbed in the chest and was also kicked while on the ground.
Emergency responders later found Okirie at the property, but he was pronounced dead shortly after 6am. A post-mortem examination confirmed that a stab wound to his chest caused his death.
CCTV footage from the building showed the two men meeting shortly before the attack.
Katabana later set off the building’s fire alarm and walked to Bethel Street Police Station, where he gave himself up to the police. Upon arriving at the station, he reportedly told officers that he believed he had killed someone.
The weapon used in the attack has not been found.
During subsequent police interviews, Katabana refused to discuss what happened and repeatedly responded with “no comment”.
He initially admitted to manslaughter, arguing that diminished responsibility should be taken into account. The prosecution, however, pursued a murder conviction, and a jury found him guilty.
During sentencing, the court heard about Katabana’s previous criminal record, which included five convictions covering seven offences. One previous case involved him kicking another person in the head while the victim was on the ground.
Judge Bate said Katabana had shown a tendency to act without restraint and use violence when dealing with problems.
His lawyers linked his behaviour to difficult and traumatic experiences during his childhood in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The court, however, heard evidence that Katabana had already obtained a knife before reaching out to Okirie and arranging for them to meet.
Norfolk Police senior investigating officer Alix Wright said the evidence showed that Okirie had been deliberately drawn into the corridor before the attack.
Describing the killing as violent and unprovoked, Wright said the police remained focused on supporting Okirie’s family and hoped the conviction would bring them some measure of justice.
Okirie was 33 when he died. He had studied economics at the University of East Anglia and was living at the Norwich property where the fatal confrontation took place.
The court heard that the attack came without warning as Okirie encountered Katabana in the communal corridor.
Katabana is now serving a life sentence and must spend at least 20 years in custody before becoming eligible for consideration for release.
