Police have charged a 26-year-old man with murder after the death of another man outside his Hamilton home on Tuesday night.
Detective Senior Sergeant Karl Thornton said the arrest followed the murder of Abdi Awad, a 42-year-old Somali man who had been living in Hamilton for several years.
"During the course of our enquiries we identified a person of interest to our investigation and carried out a number of searches of properties.
"As a result of these searches various people became aware of our desire to speak to a 26-year-old man and overnight information came to light that led us to arresting this person in relation to illegal possession of a weapon,'' Mr Thornton said in a statement.
The man was subsequently charged with murder and was to appear in Hamilton District Court this morning.
Mr Thornton credited strong links with the local community for the arrest.
"There is still considerable work to be done on the inquiry but we are very grateful for the level of co-operation we have received at this point.
"What occurred is a tragedy and I have extended the condolences of New Zealand Police to Mr Awad's family. At the same time the fact we have been able to progress the inquiry to this point is testament to the strength of relationships that exist between police and community groups in the area.''
Hamilton Muslim community leaders had been instrumental in the investigation, translating between police, Mr Awad's family and Victim Support.
A community spokesman said it was heartening for it to be able to positively assist.
