A Swiss court has ordered the provisional detention of a co-owner of a bar, where 40 people were killed and over a hundred were injured in a New Year's Eve fire in Crans-Montana, citing a risk of flight.
In a statement issued on Monday, the Valais Court of Compulsory Measures said that following a request from the public prosecutor's office, the court ordered the pretrial detention of Jacques Moretti, a co-owner of the bar Le Constellation, for an initial period of three months.
It noted that the risk of flight was the only ground invoked by the prosecution to justify detention.
The court, however, said that it would be prepared to lift the provisional detention if alternative measures requested by the prosecution were met, including the payment of financial guarantees. According to the court, these measures could adequately address the risk of flight, but the determination of such guarantees requires a detailed review. Until that process is completed, detention will remain in place.
The court emphasized that pretrial detention is a procedural measure intended solely to ensure the proper conduct of the investigation and does not constitute punishment. It stressed that the suspect is presumed innocent until a final conviction, should one be issued, takes effect.
The court said its communication on the case is limited to the press release and that it will not respond to further questions.
A criminal investigation had been opened into two bar owners, Jacques Moretti and his wife, Jessica Moretti, over the deadly fire.
The suspects were accused of "negligent homicide, negligent personal injury and negligent arson," as it emerged that the ski resort bar had not undergone an annual inspection for the past five years.
Speaking to reporters last week, Nicolas Feraud, the mayor of Crans-Montana, said all sparkler candles, which were blamed for the fire, have been banned inside venues.
The investigators said that they believe sparkling candles attached to champagne bottles ignited a fatal fire when they came too close to the ceiling of the bar.
