Lilu King Sent Back To Prison After Court Overturns Bail Decision
Mohammed Ali Ahmed Elmushraty, better known as Lilu King, has been sent back to prison after the Court of Criminal Appeal upheld a challenge by the Attorney General.
According to a report by TVM, last Friday, Magistrate Caroline Farrugia Frendo had granted the 32-year-old Libyan national bail under strict conditions, including a €40,000 deposit and a €200,000 personal guarantee.
However, the Attorney General’s Office appealed the decision, arguing that Elmushraty posed a risk of reoffending.The case stems from an incident in October 2023 in Sliema, where Elmushraty allegedly broke another man’s arm, threatened him, and breached the conditions of three previous bail rulings—dating back to March 2022, May 2023, and October 2019.
The prosecution argued that Elmushraty is not a trustworthy individual and that even the financial guarantees would not deter him from committing further offences. The defence, led by lawyer Franco Debono, countered that the charges were initially for slight injuries and later upgraded to grievous. Debono noted that individuals charged with even more serious crimes, such as murder, had sometimes received less severe bail conditions.
Presiding Judge Neville Camilleri ultimately ruled that Elmushraty cannot be trusted to respect court-imposed conditions and ordered his re-arrest.
Prosecutors Maria Francesca Spiteri and Jurgen Dalli appeared on behalf of the Attorney General, while Elmushraty was represented by lawyers Franco Debono, Adreana Zammit, and Jose Herrera.