The owner of the Swiss bar devastated by a deadly New Year’s Eve fire is being held in pre‑trial detention on suspicion of domestic abuse against his wife, who is also a co‑owner of the venue, according to media reports released on Sunday.
Jacques and Jessica Moretti, the French couple who ran Le Constellation bar in the Crans‑Montana ski resort, have drawn intense scrutiny since the blaze erupted in the early hours of January 1.
The fire claimed 41 lives, the majority of whom were teenagers, and left another 115 people injured.
The Morettis are among 16 individuals currently under criminal investigation in connection with the incident, facing potential charges of manslaughter and arson, both alleged to have resulted from negligence.
Jacques Moretti was subsequently arrested and placed in detention after an alleged act of violence against his wife earlier this month, a report from local Geneva broadcaster Leman Bleu indicated.
The alleged incident occurred on the night of August 11 at the couple’s residence in Switzerland’s southwestern Wallis canton; the assault was severe enough to require Jessica Moretti’s hospitalization.
Neither the public prosecutor’s office nor the couple’s legal representatives have issued an immediate response to requests for comment.
Nevertheless, the Morettis’ lawyers issued a statement on Sunday evening addressing the allegations, emphasizing that the matter is being handled as a separate case concerning exclusively their private life.
‘They should not be conflated with the Constellation tragedy,’ the lawyers noted in the statement.
‘However, the reported events nevertheless form part of a broader context that cannot be overlooked—a particularly grueling ordeal the Morettis have been endeavoring to overcome together since January 1,’ they added.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)