UK court sentences Congolese to life for killing Nigerian

A 28-year-old Congolese man has been sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 20 years for the murder of his Nigerian roommate in Norwich, United Kingdom. Benjamin Katabana lured 33-year-old Uchenna Okirie into the communal corridor of their shared accommodation with WhatsApp messages before attacking him with a knife in an unprovoked incident.

Okirie, a former University of East Anglia economics student, died from a stab wound to the chest at the scene shortly after 6am on November 22. Katabana activated the building's fire alarm and surrendered to police at Bethel Street Police Station, where he allegedly said, "I have killed someone, I think." The murder weapon was never recovered, and Katabana refused to explain his actions during police interviews.

Despite pleading guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility, Katabana was convicted of murder by a jury. Judge Bate noted Katabana's five previous convictions for violent offenses and expressed that he acts impulsively and resolves issues through violence. The Norfolk Constabulary described the killing as a deliberate attack, with police expressing hope that the conviction would provide closure for Okirie's family.