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DENPASAR (The Jakarta Post/Asia News Network): The Bali Police are investigating into fake information that an Australian man was mugged and bashed while holidaying on the resort island. Police have discovered that the man suffered a traffic accident while he was riding a motorcycle, allegedly when he was drunk.
Police spokesperson Sr Comr Stefanus Satake Bayu Setianto told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday (Jan 24) that the Bali Police are investigating the fake information and who had started it.
"We have conducted an investigation over the information and we found that he was never mugged or bashed. It's fake information and we will find out who made this fake info," Stefanus said.
The news about Australian citizen Lachlan Briam Hunt having been mugged and bashed has gone viral recently. The news came out after his friend set up a GoFundMe page to help cover the hospital bills.
"Our little mate Lachie Hunt has had a bit of an accident. Sounds like he was mugged and bashed pretty good. He can’t remember much. I’m in contact with his mum, Mel. She’s over there taking good care of him and his injuries are a potential fractured back. He has bleeding in the brain and he’s pretty banged up all round," the GoFundMe page read.
"He's in BIMC Bali getting the best care, but the best care is bloody expensive. So asking if you are able to help out in any way to dig deep. It would go a long way and mean a lot to the family," the organiser, Jarrad Visher wrote, saying that he set up the donation on behalf of Lachlan's mother.
Stefanus said the news went viral on social media after many Australian media published the story.
"We have no clue about the incident, as there is no police report made by anyone about the incident," he said.
According to witnesses, Hunt was riding a motorcycle when he was drunk and lost control of the vehicle in the early morning of Jan 13.
Hunt said to the police he left his hotel the night before on a motorcycle to have a drink with his friend at a local bar. As he rode the motorcycle to return to the hotel early in the morning, he felt his phone fall and thought that he had been pushed by someone. However, he said he did not remember what happened as he was drunk.
In a video shared by Bali Police, Hunt is seen reading his statement accompanied by his mother Mellisa Hunt.
"I had an incident in Bali [...] I lost my memory for three days," he said. He also said the GoFundMe page was set up by his friend to help him cover the hospital bills."[There’s] no intention to make this go viral," he said. Hunt and his mother returned to Australia on Tuesday.
