Switzerland agrees to Italy’s demand for joint investigation of bar fire

Italy’s government had said on Monday it would not return its ambassador to Switzerland until the demand was met.

On January 24th, Italy said it had recalled its ambassador in Bern, Gian Lorenzo Cornado, in protest after learning that the bar’s co-owner had been released on bail the day before.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called the decision “a grave affront and a fresh wound inflicted on the families of the victims of the Crans-Montana tragedy and on those who are still hospitalised.”

“All of Italy is crying out for truth and justice and demands that, after this catastrophe, respectful measures be taken that fully take into account the suffering and expectations of the families,” she said in a statement.

French couple Jacques and Jessica Moretti, the owners of Le Constellation bar where the fire broke out during New Year’s Eve celebrations, are under criminal investigation, facing charges of manslaughter by negligence, bodily harm by negligence and arson by negligence.

Jacques Moretti had been held in custody since January 9th, while Jessica has remained at liberty, under certain restrictions, but he was released on Friday on bail of 200,000 Swiss francs ($250,000).

Meloni’s statement pointed to the “extreme gravity of the crime” Moretti is suspected of, “the heavy responsibilities weighing on him, the ongoing risk of flight, and the clear risk of further tampering with evidence”.

Swiss prosecutors are facing a barrage of criticism over their handling of the investigation into the deadly inferno.

Victims’ families were stunned that investigators were not sent to the scene, the bar owners’ home or to the Crans-Montana municipal offices on day one.

Advertisement

Le Constellation was first searched on January 7th, while as of Tuesday evening a search of the owners’ home had been ordered, but not yet carried out, according to civil parties in the case.

“The risk of crucial evidence disappearing is greater than ever,” said lawyer Christophe de Galembert, who is representing a bereaved father.

“What surprised me most was the lack of immediate detention” of the couple, to avoid the risk of potential collusion, lawyer Miriam Mazou, who represents the family of a victim, told AFP.

An expert, speaking on condition of anonymity, told AFP that their detention would have “guaranteed that the evidence could be immediately secured, without the risk of recordings or documents disappearing, coordinated responses being prepared, or contact being made with potential future participants or witnesses”.