Some people collect stamps. Some collect watches. Some collect loyalty points.
Mohamed Ali Ahmed Elmushraty — better known in Malta as Lilu King — appears to have accumulated something rather different over the years: an impressively long relationship with the Maltese court system.
And now there is another entry to add to the file.
Elmushraty is currently being held in preventive custody at Corradino Correctional Facility while criminal proceedings against him continue.
But anyone thinking this is where the story begins may want to make a coffee first.
Because the Lilu King Malta timeline is… extensive.
Refugee status: ❌
Court appearances: ✅✅✅✅✅
Bail conditions: It’s complicated.
Quite a few years in Malta: Apparently unavailable.
👑 A brief history of the King
We say “brief” with considerable optimism.
⚔️ 2016: Enter the Samurai sword
Elmushraty’s encounters with the Maltese justice system stretch back at least a decade.
Court reporting has linked him to proceedings concerning an alleged Samurai-sword attack on three nightclub bouncers in 2016, where he faced an attempted homicide accusation.
After that incident he was also arrested in connection with an armed robbery investigation.
But 2016 still had another surprise waiting.
🧺 30kg of shisha tobacco… inside washing powder containers
In November 2016, customs officials arrested Elmushraty at Malta International Airport after finding approximately 30kg of undeclared shisha tobacco concealed inside containers of washing powder.
The following year, he was accused alongside another man of grievously injuring two people in another Paceville incident which also allegedly involved a Samurai sword.
At this stage, the sword was beginning to develop a recurring supporting role.
🥂 2022: The champagne lounge incident
In October 2022, a woman alleged that Elmushraty slapped her following an argument at a Portomaso champagne lounge.
That case did not result in a conviction.
The proceedings were discontinued in 2023 after Elmushraty apologised, gave an undertaking not to molest the woman and she withdrew her complaint.
💰 2023: Money laundering and organised crime charges
Then came the substantially more serious proceedings.
In May 2023, following a months-long police investigation, Elmushraty was charged with offences including money laundering, tax evasion, participation in organised crime and breaches of bail conditions.
He pleaded not guilty.
Investigators described a lavish lifestyle involving luxury vehicles, jewellery and designer clothing while questioning the apparent lack of declared income.
During searches of residences linked to him, police seized branded clothing, jewellery, phones and other valuables.
Importantly, court testimony also established that no drugs were discovered during those searches, and his defence has repeatedly challenged the prosecution’s claims concerning alleged drug-trafficking links.
🏖️ 2023: MedAsia Playa
Elmushraty also faced separate proceedings after being charged with causing grievous injuries to a man during a fight at MedAsia Playa in Sliema.
He denied wrongdoing in that case.
🥊 June 2024: The boxing match that apparently needed an extra bout
In June 2024, Elmushraty appeared in court following an altercation with police at a boxing event at Ta’ Qali.
This case is different from many of the others mentioned here because he admitted the charges.
The court fined him €4,000 and ordered the forfeiture of another €6,000 from his bail bonds — a total financial hit of €10,000.
The magistrate warned him to control himself when attending sporting events.
🚗 August 2024: Mercedes vs buggy
A couple of months later, Elmushraty was accused of deliberately driving a Mercedes into a buggy in Paceville while allegedly driving without a valid licence or insurance.
Then came the procedural plot twist.
The court declared his arrest illegal because police had failed to notify the duty magistrate within the period required by law.
That ruling concerned the legality of the arrest. It did not automatically eliminate the underlying criminal proceedings.
🍸 October 2024: Another Sliema case
Later in 2024, Elmushraty was remanded in custody after being accused of threatening and grievously injuring a man during an incident in Sliema.
Prosecutors also accused him of breaching bail conditions imposed in three separate cases.
He pleaded not guilty.
🔄 Then came the Great Maltese Bail Saga
If you attempted to follow Elmushraty’s bail status through 2024 and 2025, congratulations.
You may now qualify for a minor diploma in Maltese criminal procedure.
At various stages:
➡️ bail was granted;
➡️ the Attorney General challenged bail;
➡️ bail was revoked;
➡️ Elmushraty was rearrested;
➡️ bail was granted again;
➡️ new deposits and guarantees were imposed;
➡️ curfews and twice-daily signing requirements entered the picture.
One 2025 bail decision involved a €40,000 deposit and €200,000 personal guarantee.
⚠️ 2026: A case where the jokes stop
In 2026, Elmushraty was charged in connection with a deeply serious alleged assault on a man at a shop in San Ġwann.
He faces accusations of complicity in offences including unlawful detention, assault, robbery and non-consensual sexual acts.
The alleged victim has testified that he was detained, beaten, robbed, threatened and sexually assaulted.
Elmushraty has pleaded not guilty.
The proceedings are ongoing and the allegations have not been determined by the court.
And Libya also wants a word
Maltese courts have previously heard that Libyan authorities were seeking Elmushraty in connection with allegations including murder and drug trafficking.
His lawyers challenged the reliability of information supplied by Libyan authorities and raised concerns regarding instability in Libya and the potential consequences of sending him there.
Those Libyan allegations should not be confused with convictions by a Maltese court.
🛂 Now the refugee status goes
Fast-forward to 17 September 2026.
Home Affairs Minister Glenn Bedingfield announced that Elmushraty had been informed by the International Protection Agency that he no longer enjoys refugee status in Malta.
Bedingfield said that the circumstances which originally justified protection following the war in Libya no longer applied.
There is, however, an interesting footnote.
Elmushraty’s refugee status had already become an issue back in 2023, when Times of Malta reported that his protection certificate had expired and his status had been withdrawn after it lapsed.
Today’s announcement therefore comes after an already complicated history surrounding his international protection position.
👻 From “King of Paceville” to Corradino
For years, the public image of Lilu King was dominated by social media posts featuring expensive cars, designer clothing, jewellery and a lifestyle that was anything but subtle.
During the 2023 investigation, however, police told the court that despite this highly visible lifestyle he appeared to have little official financial footprint in Malta.
One police inspector famously described him as being “like a ghost” in official records.
The ghost is currently somewhat easier to locate.
Elmushraty remains at Corradino Correctional Facility in preventive custody while criminal proceedings continue.
Several serious cases remain unresolved and, where he has pleaded not guilty, the allegations against him remain allegations unless and until proved in court.
Sources: Times of Malta and MaltaToday court reporting, including reports published between 2023 and 17 September 2026.