Paceville entrepreneur and social media influencer ‘Lilu King’ has been granted bail, 10 months after he was arraigned alongside two other suspects over his alleged involvement in an organised crime group linked to drug trafficking and money laundering.

Mohamed Ali Ahmed Elmushraty, who is protesting his innocence, had filed several previous bail requests, all of which previously proved unsuccessful. His lawyers constantly highlighted the fact that although prosecutors alleged that he was involved in drug trafficking, police lacked sufficient evidence to press drug-related charges.

Investigators confirmed that no drugs were found in the accused’s possession when his property was searched following his arrest in May.

However, seven months later, pending ongoing criminal proceedings, the prosecution informed the court that they wanted to add drug trafficking and involvement in a drug trafficking conspiracy to Elmushraty’s charge sheet.

That information triggered some tense legal arguments between the prosecution and Elmushraty’s lawyers who strongly objected to the prosecution’s move, arguing that proceedings would have to start again from scratch since the defence had every right to ask for all witnesses who had already testified, to testify again.

The prosecution’s request was upheld in January and the new charges were added.

When the proceedings resumed before a different magistrate - following the Chief Justice's re-assignment of duties  - the defence’s latest application for bail was upheld.

Through a decree delivered on Monday, Magistrate Leonard Caruana upheld the request against a deposit of €30,000, a personal guarantee of €40,000, a third party surety for €10,000, signing the bail book at the Ħamrun police station daily and under a curfew between 9pm and 7am.

The case continues.

Lawyers Franco Debono, Jose Herrera and Marion Camilleri are defence counsel.