Updated 6.30 pm - A Filipino employee engaged by the company Mr Clean today claimed that she was ordered by one of the company directors to shred contracts signed by other workers in the Philippines.

A number of other Filipino employees told a court that they were made to sign less favourable contracts of work than their original one upon arrival in Malta against the threat of deportation.

The company’s directors Joseph Degiorgio, 71, his two sons Paul Degiorgio, 47, Christopher Degiorgio and non-executive director Josianne Bugeja Degiorgio are all accused of human trafficking.

Worker Eileen Estaban told the court that Joseph Degiorgio instructed his employees to shred the contracts signed by the workers in the Philippines.

Sheila Isa, a worker at Mr Clean who assists applicants from the Philippines, told the court that she was merely following orders and did not know why Mr Degiorgio instructed them to shred the contracts.

Maria Rio Alger testified that the contract she signed in the Philippines with the recruitment agency stated she would be given free accommodation and a €100 monthly food allowance.

Ms Alger said she did not sign any other declaration in the Philippines and was never told the contract signed was no going to be honoured in Malta.

On arrival in Malta Ms Alger said she was taken to a villa in Rabat where around 23 people were living.

She said she was made to pay €150 per month for staying at the villa. Ms Alger said she was sent half a sack of rice by Mr Clean when she first arrived and never received anything else.

Ms Alger said that on April 7 workers were asked to sign a new contract, but she refused as this would have been her third contract in seven months.

She said that a few days later when she went in to hand her resignation Joseph Degiorgio asked her to surrender her ID card, but she refused.

“I would never have come to Malta if I knew the conditions were going to be different to the contract I signed in the Philippines,” a visibly emotional Ms Alger said.

Francis Magbanwar, an office clerk at Mr Clean, said she was told the conditions in Malta would be different to those agreed upon in the Philippines.

Ms Magbanwar explained that a contract showing that she would be provided with accommodation was needed in order for her to be given an overseas employment certificate, allowing her to leave the Philippines.

Magistrate Consuelo Scerri Herrera granted the company directors bail at the end of the sitting.

The father and his two sons - the directors of the company Mr Clean - were granted bail against deposits of €10,000 and personal guarantees of €20,000.

Josianne Bugeja Degiorgio - who is a company employee - was granted bail against a deposit of €5,000 and a personal guarantee of €15,000.

Lawyers Franco Debono, Joe Giglio and Amadeus Cachia are defence counsel.