Sunday Bol, 20, charged over Thomastown reception centre blaze

A 20-year-old man has fronted court charged over the alleged arson attack at a Thomastown reception centre.

A young man accused of an arson attack on a Thomastown reception centre as part of Melbourne’s tobacco wars has fronted court for the first time.

Sunday Bol, 20, briefly appeared in Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Thursday afternoon charged with criminal damage by fire, reckless conduct endangering serious injury, theft of motor vehicle and committing an indictable offence while on bail.

Emergency services rushed to the Emerald Reception Centre on Settlement Rd in Thomastown after a fire. Picture: Genevieve Holding

Police allege Mr Bol torched the Emerald Reception Centre last week before fleeing in a stolen Ford Ranger, which was later found burnt out in Bundoora.

Lunar detectives executed a search warrant at a St Albans home just before 9am on Thursday before Mr Bol was arrested and charged.

No details about the allegations against Mr Bol were aired during the brief administrative hearing and he was remanded in custody to reappear in court on May 23.

The court heard Mr Bol had sustained unspecified injuries and may need to be hospitalised.

The Settlement Rd business was one of two entertainment centres that went up in flames last week with one of the venues scheduled to host a fight by gangland figure and boxer Sam “The Punisher” Abdulrahim.

The Emerald Reception Centre went up in flames last week. Picture: Genevieve Holding

A 2009 Toyota Land Cruiser wagon was found torched on Mason St in Reservoir after the attack on the Furlan Club several hours after a 2018 Ford Ranger Ute was found in Bundoora following the fire at Emerald Reception Centre.

More than 20 investigators scoured the areas surrounding each blaze for CCTV and for any witnesses who caught a glimpse of the alleged offenders.

Last Thursday’s alleged arsons bring the total number of tobacco-related attacks to 38.