Mohammed Imran Yunus

A man allegedly behind fake house rental advertisements on Facebook, has been refused bail by the Lautoka Magistrates Court today.

Mohammed Imran Yunus faces three charges of obtaining financial advantage through deceptive means.

According to reports, Yunus allegedly posted enticing house rental ads using a fake Facebook account, leading unsuspecting individuals to provide him with a bond on three separate occasions in November 2023.

It is alleged that he dishonestly obtained a total cash amount of $1,100 from members of the public through the MPAiSA platform.

Authorities further revealed that attempts to contact Yunus using the provided phone number proved futile as his phone was found switched off.

During the court proceedings, the prosecution opposed bail, citing Yunus’ full admissions during his caution interview, his evasion of police for an extended period, and multiple pending case files involving similar charges.

In response, Yunus pleaded for bail, highlighting his status as the sole breadwinner for his family, including a sickly and unemployed wife, as well as a 1-year-old child.

He purportedly admitted to the alleged offenses, citing desperation to provide for his family as the driving factor.

The matter will be called again tomorrow.