Four charged over fatal Prahran blaze

Four people have been charged over an alleged arson attack in Chapel Street last year which led to the death of a 52-year-old man.

Ibrahim Haddara, 28, faced Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday night, 14 months after the alleged arson at the Golden Lounge Dessert and Juice Bar in Prahran.

Haddara was arrested in Newport on Tuesday morning. At the same time, police arrested 26-year-old Ahmed Naghdali in Point Cook over the same incident.

“A gel blaster, three laptops and a mobile phone were seized from the Point Cook address, whilst seven sim cards, two laptops and two mobile phones were seized from the Newport address,” officers said in a statement.

Both men have been charged with half-a-dozen offences, including arson causing death. The fatal fire on January 15, 2025, was said to have caused $50,000 damage.

Neither Haddara nor Naghdali sought bail when they appeared before the court on Tuesday afternoon. They are to remain behind bars until their next appearance on June 11.

Their apprehension follows the arrests of a 26-year-old Altona North man on March 11, and a 44-year-old Fitzroy man on March 5, also in relation to the alleged arson. The two are also returning to court on June 11.

A 27-year-old Altona North man arrested in relation to the incident has been released pending further enquiries.

The incident occurred on January 15, 2025. Witnesses told police they saw two men pour accelerant inside the Golden Lounge premises before setting it alight.

A 52-year-old St Albans man was later found with serious burns at a home in Fitzroy, and died of his injuries in hospital five months later.

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