Updated Monday 10.09am - Two brothers were granted bail on Monday morning after pleading not guilty to having imported fireworks material and illegally operated a fireworks factory in an unsafe manner in a field in Gudja over the past months and years.

Peter and Andrea Theuma, aged 69 and 67 respectively, were arrested on Saturday after a tipoff to the police.

The police reported on Sunday that a 'considerable' amount of material believed to be explosives was seized along with other material related to fireworks.

A magisterial inquiry is under way. 

During Monday's arraignment, the prosecution requested that upon conviction, apart from the ordinary penalty, the court order the confiscation of the field where the fireworks were made and if the field did not actually belong to the brothers, to impose a fine of between €10,000 and €80,000.

In arguments for bail, the defence pointed out that the two men collaborated with the police, they were not recidivists and there was no risk of tampering with evidence since the remaining witnesses were police and court experts. Furthermore, the two did not even have passports and there was therefore no fear of absconding.

The prosecution did not object to bail so long as stringent conditions were imposed.

Bail was granted against a deposit of €500, and a personal guarantee of €8,000 each. 

Lawyers Jason Azzopardi and Arthur Azzopardi were defence counsel.