Jet Set victim’s husband tells judge: “The Espaillats knew about the danger”

SANTO DOMINGO.– With a firm voice and contained emotions, Guillermo Muñoz, husband of Marisol Lora de Jesús, one of the fatalities of the collapse at the entertainment center Jet Set, appeared this Tuesday before judge Fátima Veloz to demand justice.

During his testimony, Muñoz maintained that the owners of the establishment, the brothers Antonio and Maribel Espaillat, knew of the structural risks presented by the premises, although he admitted that they could not foresee the exact moment of the collapse nor are they accused of having directly caused it.

“I am sure that Mr. Espaillat, wherever he is, says to himself: ‘if I had listened to what they told me’”, Muñoz expressed with regret before the magistrate.

The mourner emphasized what he called an “eminent negligence”, referring to prior warnings about the state of the infrastructure, which —according to him— were ignored by those responsible for the place.

“It is in your hands to do justice and punish those responsible for this, if you are aware of what has happened,” he concluded, addressing the judge directly.

The case of the collapse at Jet Set, which left more than 230 fatalities and 189 injured, has shaken public opinion and continues its judicial course with attention focused on the responsibility of the owners and administrators of the historic nightclub.

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It is recalled that the head of the General Directorate of Prosecution of the Public Ministry, Wilson Camacho, announced that the Public Ministry will appeal the coercion measure imposed on the Espaillat brothers, accused of involuntary manslaughter after the collapse of the nightclub on April 8th. The court ruled for a travel ban, periodic reporting, and a financial guarantee of “50 million pesos” against Antonio Espaillat and for Maribel Espaillat. Measures that, in the opinion of the Public Prosecutor’s Office, are disproportionate to the tragedy.

Full Statement by Guillermo Muñoz

To the victim GUILLERMO MUÑOZ in his capacity as husband, representing the deceased MARISOL LORA DE JESUS, I wish to state: My wife passed away, Marisol Lora de Jesús. Being just is the first thing, Duarte said. If you want to be happy, our creator, when he made the earth that brought us Adam and Eve, told them about the fruit they could not take, and yet they did, with this God forgave them, but did not remove the punishment, that is, he imposed a punishment that we all know. I am firmly aware that the Espaillat gentlemen did not know the moment or the day that that was going to fall, nor did they order that to be torn down, but I am aware that they knew that there was an imminent negligence of danger in that place, in which I also attended many times and I am sure that Mr. Espaillat, where he is at this moment, says to himself every moment, if I had listened to what they had told me, surely he is thinking it, himself, because he knew that there was a lack of negligence there, which is why that place fell, so magistrate, it is in your hands and take justice and punish the person who is responsible for this, if you are aware of what has happened.