Lawyer Laura Acosta in her role as victim defense lawyer in the JetSet Club roof collapse on 8 April 2026 that killed 236 and injured 180, presented new evidence in court on Monday, 27 April 2026, urging judge Raymundo Mejia to include four companies also in the nightclub owner’s name in the case deliberations yet to start.
Edith Febles, the journalist who was responsible for the only interview offered by Jet Set Club owner Antonio Espaillat, a pre-taped interview, aired the testimony of Laura Acosta for TeleAmerica Radio. She explained to her viewers that the matter presented is key to the future unfolding of the case. In her testimony, Acosta identified four companies calling for these to be included in the deliberations. She said in all of these companies, Antonio Espaillat is either president or general manager, and the companies were involved in the operations of the club.
The companies she wants to include are:
Inversiones ECCP-2, SRL, the company that owns the property that collapsed and the land.
Inversiones E y L, SRL, the company that operated the nightclub.
Difusora Hemisferio SRL, the company that purchased and paid for the installation of the air conditioning units on the roof that the technical report says contributed to the weight that eventually caused the roof to collapse.
Radio Cadena Comercial SRL is the employer of Manuel Jimenez, described as the “utility” who carried out repair works on the roof of the nightclub. Acosta said she has secured evidence that this company paid for the nightclub renovations that removed a structural column that impacted the vulnerability of the roof. Before being a nightclub, the property had served as a moviehouse.
Judge Raymundo Mejia of the First Instruction Court of the National District is hearing the case in the preliminary phase. The hearing was adjourned after the court heard the testimony of dozens of victims and their defense, including that of Laura Acosta. The judge rejected a request for postponement filed by the defense that asked for more time for the presenting an additional technical report. He ordered the preliminary hearing to resume on Friday, 1 May 2026.
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Edith Febles
Listin Diario
29 April 2026