A court yesterday granted bail to the Transport Malta employee whom the police believe was the mastermind behind a fraudulent scheme in which he pocketed tens of thousands of euro.

Gordon Zammit, a 35-year-old architect from Sliema, used the scheme to inflate the cost of road works, defrauding taxpayers of some €93,000 between 2010 and 2010, prosecutors hold.

Another two people face similar charges: George Oliver Schembri, 49, from Birżebbuġa, a director of road works company Alfred Schembri and Sons Limited, and his accounts clerk, Donald Camilleri, 36, from Tarxien.

Mr Zammit allegedly exaggerated bills issued to the authority by the road works contractor so that he and Mr Schembri could split the difference. On one occasion, the cost was inflated by more than €60,000, a court heard at the start of proceedings against them. In the application for bail, defence lawyer Michael Sciriha said the court could impose strict conditions, adding that now that the main witnesses had been heard, his client should be granted bail.

Magistrate Claire Stafrace Zammit granted bail against a personal guarantee of €20,000 and a deposit of €3,000 and also placed Mr Zammit under house arrest.

On Monday, Magistrate Neville Camilleri, hearing the case against Mr Schembri and Mr Camilleri, granted them bail against adeposit of €1,000 each and a personal guarantee of €5,000 each.