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• Police are treating  and seeking witnesses.
• Nabizadah was 
• Detective Inspector Nick Pritchard urged anyone with dashcam footage from the area to come forward, as well as two pedestrians seen on CCTV.

Police are now treating the death of a man found with critical head injuries on a footpath in Wellington as a homicide, and are urgently seeking witnesses.

Abdul Nabizadah, 63, died on March 18, having been found at the intersection of Camperdown Rd and Totora St in Miramar the day before.

Nabizadah, originally from Afghanistan, was found while police were conducting inquiries about a serious burglary that happened a short distance away 20 minutes earlier.

Police forensics staff outside a house on Darlington Rd, Miramar, on March 17. Photo / RNZ

Detective Inspector Nick Pritchard said police have yet to establish a link between the burglary and Nabizadah’s death.

Pritchard announced the homicide investigation this afternoon, saying police were urgently seeking two pedestrians and motorists with dashcam footage.

“A post-mortem determined Mr Nabizadah died as a result of blunt force injury after being assaulted, and further inquiries have led to the investigation being upgraded to a homicide this morning,” he said in a statement.

“As part of our investigation, we urgently need to hear from two people who had earlier passed by the area where Mr Nabizadah was found.”

At 12.28am, a man was seen walking down Camperdown Rd from Totara St and turned right in to Darlington Rd from Totara St. The man was wearing a light-coloured top and dark pants, Pritchard said.

“We know Mr Nabizadah arrived in Totara St in his silver-coloured Toyota Aqua, registration NQE681, at 12.25am, so this man may well have seen Mr Nabizadah and or his vehicle. We urge this person, or anyone who may know them, to come forward as soon as possible.”

At 1.30am, a man in fitness clothing or activewear was seen running south on Darlington Rd, before crossing the Camperdown Rd intersection. He was wearing a blue shirt, and police also need to hear from him.

“Just as crucially, the investigators need to hear from any motorist who has dashcam footage and was in the Miramar area between midnight and 3am on 17 March, in particular anyone who travelled through the intersection of Totara St and Camperdown Rd. Even if your footage shows no cars or people on the street, it’s important that we see it.”

Police were continuing their investigation into the nearby “disturbing” burglary, where two people found an intruder rummaging through their Darlington Rd house about 2am on March 17.

There was a physical altercation at the scene which left the homeowner injured.

“We have yet to locate this offender, who had been wearing gumboots and a white cap, and is described by witnesses as possibly being of Māori descent, between 177-180cm tall [5’10” to 5’11”] and of athletic build," Pritchard said.

“Investigators have been speaking with neighbours and reviewing evidence gathered at the scene, but we have yet to establish a link between the burglary and the death of Mr Nabizadah.”

Meanwhile, police are continuing to carry out reassurance patrols in the Miramar area.

“We know these events are upsetting and concerning for the community, but the investigation teams are working doggedly to get justice for the victims of the homicide and burglary, and their families. Police are providing ongoing support to both families.”

If you have any information that could help the investigation teams, please update police online now or call 105.

Please use the reference number 250317/6324, or reference Operation Celtic.

Information can also be provided anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.