Homicide inquiry launched after body discovery

A post mortem examination will be held tomorrow on the body of a man found lying on a road in Auckland.

Police are still working to identify the victim - who they believe is in his late teens or early twenties, and is Maori or Polynesian.

He was wearing a green sweat shirt and his blue jeans were held up by a length of while electrical cable.

Police will remove his body from the scene later today - and also want to speak to a man called Hohepa who phoned 111 from a nearby phone box to report finding the body.

A woman's voice was also heard describing where the body was.

Hohepa told police he would wait at the scene for them - but had gone by the time they arrived.

Detective Inspector Dave Lynch is now pleading with him to contact them again.

Counties Manukau Police have launched a homicide inquiry.

Mr Lynch says the identity of the body isn't yet know and police are seeking information on him.

Photo: NZ Herald