Paceville Entrepreneur Lilu King Released On Bail
Mohamed Ali Ahmed Elmushraty, better known as Lilu King, has been granted bail after spending 10 months in police custody.
Lilu was initially prosecuted alongside two other suspects on charges related to alleged involvement in an organised crime group linked to drug trafficking and money laundering.
Despite strongly protesting his innocence, previous bail requests filed by Elmushraty were denied. His legal team persistently emphasised the lack of concrete evidence linking him to drug-related charges, particularly highlighting that no drugs were found in his possession during police searches following his arrest in May.
However, amidst ongoing criminal proceedings, the prosecution sought to add drug trafficking and conspiracy charges to the case. This move sparked legal debates between the prosecution and Lilu’s defence team, who argued that such actions would necessitate starting the proceedings afresh to ensure the defence’s right to cross-examine witnesses.
The prosecution’s request was granted in January and new charges were added to the case. Subsequently, as proceedings resumed under a different magistrate, Magistrate Leonard Caruana granted Elmushraty bail.
The terms of his bail require a deposit of €30,000, a personal guarantee of €40,000, a third-party surety for €10,000, daily signing of the bail book at the Hamrun police station, and adherence to a curfew between 9:00 PM and 7:00 AM.
Defense counsel for Elmushraty includes prominent lawyers Franco Debono, Jose Herrera, and Marion Camilleri. The case continues, with Elmushraty’s bail marking a significant development in the ongoing legal proceedings.
What do you make of this latest development?
READ NEXT: ‘He Has No Idea’: Metsola Rubbishes Abela’s Claim She Wants To Send Maltese Children To War
