Man found guilty of murder in shared accommodation

A man has been found guilty of murdering a fellow resident after "luring" him into the communal corridor of their shared accommodation.

Uchenna Okirie, 33, was left for dead, face down on the floor, after what police described as a "sustained and brutal attack" with a knife at Somerleyton House in Norwich on 22 November last year.

Despite efforts to save him, he died at the scene – just as Benjamin Katabana, 28, handed himself into police saying: "I have killed someone, I think."

Katabana had pleaded guilty to manslaughter with diminished responsibility but was convicted of murder by a jury at Norwich Crown Court.

CCTV had captured the two men coming together in the corridor of the building on Somerleyton Street.

Okirie, a University of East Anglia economics graduate, appeared to be using his phone when Katabana attacked him, police said.

Having stabbed Okirie once, he went on to attack him multiple times and kick him in the head – a violent loss of control his defence said was due to his traumatic upbringing in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the force added.

Katabana then activated the fire alarm at the multi-occupancy residence and made his way through the city to Bethel Street police station, where he handed himself in and was arrested.

Okirie, who was known as Uche, was pronounced dead shortly after 06:00 GMT. The cause of death was a stab wound to the chest.

The knife was never recovered, police said, and Katabana gave no account for his actions, answering "No comment" in interviews.

Speaking after the verdict, senior investigating officer Alix Wright said: "This was a violent and unprovoked attack.

"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.

"Our thoughts remain with Uche's family, and we hope this conviction provides them with a measure of justice for their loss."

A sentencing date has not yet been set.

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