Police with victim before death

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Friday, 28 March 2014 - 12:31pm

Police visited 49 year-old homicide victim Maqbool Hussain in his temporary Balmoral squat the last evening he was seen alive.

Two officers, accompanied by two Asian Safety Patrol volunteers, were in the area at 6.30pm on Saturday March 22, as part of a specific property crime prevention operation and were asked by a local business operator to engage with Mr Hussain about recent behaviour in the neighbourhood.

Detective Inspector Chris Cahill says the officers and volunteers have provided valuable information to the investigation team and confirmed Mr Hussain was in the company of another, unknown man, at the time he was visited.

"We'd like to locate this man to determine what condition Mr Hussain was in when he left him. It may well be that images [see attached] obtained from a nearby CCTV camera are of that same man, so we'd like him or anyone who knows who he is to contact the Operation Gridley team on 09 8205763."

Mr Cahill said the investigation was progressing and several items of interest had been recovered from the scene in Halston Rd where Mr Hussain is believed to have died after being fatally beaten.

"Our focus is on trying to speak with people Mr Hussain came into contact with over recent weeks so as to get a clearer picture of his activities and associates.

"If you are in the photograph or the person who was with him when Police visited his sleepout on March 22, contact us and tell us what you know."
Anyone with information can also e-mail christopher.cahill@police.govt.nz or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

ENDS

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