Court permits Leisure Clothing director to leave Malta on 'business trip'

In what has been described by some as a risky decision, Magistrate Carol Peralta has this afternoon given the green light to Chinese businessman Han Bin to leave the island on a “business trip,” in spite of Han being on bail for  human trafficking charges.

The compilation of evidence against Han, the director of Bulebel-based clothing factory Leisure Clothing, on charges of human trafficking and breaching employment regulations, is still underway.

In today’s sitting, the magistrate criticised the office of the Attorney General for consistently objecting to the defence's repeated requests to allow Han to travel to Italy for a meeting. “How can the AG continue preventing a managing director of one of the main manufacturing companies in Malta, on which the Maltese economy depends, from working?” said an exasperated Peralta.

He said the Attorney General was missing the bigger picture by objecting to everything.

The magistrate granted Han permission to withdraw his passport from the court, on the condition that he only travel to Italy and that he returns it to the court the day after his return to Malta. 

Peralta acknowledged that he was taking a chance in allowing him to attend this meeting, warning the Chinese businessman that he should not consider absconding. “You could very well not come back, but I think you are intelligent enough to know what the consequences would be for yourself and for your company, in that case.”