13 Feb 2010

Police say taxi driver's killer may have left NZ

3:40 pm on 13 February 2010

Police searching for the killer of an Auckland taxi driver say he may no longer be in New Zealand but will be found no matter where he is.

Hiren Mohini, 39, died after what detectives have called a frenzied knife attack on 31 January. He had picked up a fare from the central business district and driven to the suburb of Mt Eden where he was fatally stabbed in View Road.

Police say their canvass of Mt Eden has included hotels and hostels.

The head of the investigation, Detective Senior Sergeant Hywel Jones, says he cannot rule out the possibility that the killer has left the country.

"We've taken as many steps as we can, bearing in mind that we don't know his actual identity, to try and stop that happening. But we will find him, no matter where he is."

Police still need the public's help to identify the man who was caught several times on security cameras before getting into Mr Mohini's taxi from Sky City in central Auckland.

They received eight calls about the case following the television screening of the CCTV footage on Police 10/7 on Thursday, but there has so far been no breakthrough.

The security camera images showed a man walking through the city centre before getting into Mr Mohini's taxi.

He was carrying a blue shoulder bag with a distinctive white logo similar to a bloodstained one found near where Mr Mohini died.

He also appeared in previously released images and Mr Jones says someone must know who he is.

Residents have reported seeing a man running from View Road and on the roof of a carport bare from the waist up.