The directors of Chinese company Leisure Clothing were this afternoon granted bail against a deposit of €10,000 and a €25,000 personal guarantee.

Bin Han, 46, from San Gwann and Jia Liu, 31, from Birzebbuga, stand charged with human trafficking and the exploitation of Chinese and Vietnamese people working for their company based in Bulebel.

Mr Han, who has Maltese nationality, is the company's managing director while Mr Liu is Chinese but has been living in Malta for four years.

They are also charged with misappropriating the employees' wages, failing to pay the employees their wages, overtime and allowances and failing to comply with employment conditions.

Magistrate Carol Peralta argued that the accused have an interest that the company continues to operate in their best interest and that of its workers.

He said fleeing from Malta would not only jeopardise their position but also that of the company. "The consequences would be hallucinating," he said.

The allegations of wrongdoing were only made by a few workers when compared to the absolute majority, he said. The magistrate added that in all the years that the company has been operating from Malta, it is the first time that these directors were charged with these offences.

Moreover, he said, the court was convinced that the prosecution had done its duty and investigated the case thoroughly and that the possibility of the accused contaminating any testimony was "remote".

He granted them bail on condition that they sign daily at the Zejtun police station, that they are home between 11pm and 6 am and that they deposit their travelling documents.

Earlier today, defence lawyers Edward Gatt and Pio Valletta argued that their clients satisfied all the basic elements for them to be granted bail, including with regard to the prosecution's greatest concern on tampering with witnesses.

But prosecuting officer Joseph Busuttil rebutted saying the police had evidence in hand that other company workers were approached and told to lie to the police. Tampering with witnesses of the prosecution was "almost obvious", the inspector said.