Court in the Dominican Republic resumes hearing over the Jet Set nightclub tragedy

Published at: 20/04/2026 11:41 AM

This Monday, a court in the capital of the Dominican Republic resumed the preliminary hearing against Antonio and Maribel Espaillat, owners of the Jet Set nightclub. The judicial process seeks to determine if the defendants will face trial for the collapse of the roof of the establishment that occurred in April 2025, an incident that resulted in the death of 236 people and remains one of the most painful events in the country's recent history.

The prosecution presented a robust file containing testimonial evidence, expert reports and a series of documentary evidence. According to the Public Ministry, there are messages and audios that show that the owners received prior warnings about the poor condition of the structure before the catastrophe occurred. These elements are fundamental to the prosecution, which maintains that there was a clear omission in the face of the reported risks.

The judge in charge of the trial must analyze the validity of the evidence to decide if the case proceeds to the trial stage on the merits. One of the most critical decisions during this hearing will be the establishment of the legal qualification of the facts, debating whether the incident should be prosecuted as a voluntary or involuntary homicide, depending on the level of responsibility attributed to the management of the businessmen.

Family members of the victims and various social sectors remain attentive to the conduct of the sessions in the courthouse, demanding speed and transparency in the opinion. Meanwhile, technical experts remain under scrutiny, as their assessments of the structural failure will be decisive in clarifying whether the tragedy could have been prevented with adequate maintenance of the facilities.

Mazo News Team