Culture Minister Owen Bonnici’s penchant for having his photo taken put him in a spot of bother this weekend.

Bonnici took to his Facebook page to clarify that that he did not know he took a photo with money laundering suspect Mohamed Ali Ahmed Elmushraty, known as Lilu King, which he posted on his social media Friday night.

In a Facebook post on Saturday, Bonnici said that he had inadvertently taken the photo with the stranger, who later identified himself as Lilu King.

Lilu King is currently out on bail after he pled not guilty to being involved in an organised group linked to drug trafficking and money laundering. He has also spent years posting photos of his extravagant lifestyle.

Bonnici said that while he was walking to his car Friday evening, a white car stopped suddenly and a tall man politely asked if he could take a photo with him.

“I don’t know this man, had never spoken to him, and did not recognise him. We took a photo, as I regularly do with various people,” Bonnici wrote.

He then said that after the photo was taken, Lilu King identified himself, in Maltese with a foreign accent, and said that on his own volition, told Bonnici that he is facing various proceedings in court.

Bonnici said that he was clarifying the facts which led to the photo. Lilu King posted a short video clip on Instagram at around 8pm Friday, adding the Robert Miles track ‘Children.’