The legal investigation into the devastating fire at the Constellation bar has shifted its focus toward the political leadership of Crans-Montana, as allegations of collusion emerge between the municipality’s president and a former official. The controversy centers on a series of private meetings that took place just as the judicial machinery began questioning key figures in the wake of the tragedy.
On Wednesday, the Valais Public Prosecutor’s Office conducted a grueling 12-hour interrogation of a former communal counselor who oversaw public security from 2021 to 2024. The session, which began at 8:30 a.m. And concluded at 8:30 p.m. At the Energypolys campus in Sion, marks the second high-profile political summons in the case, following the recent questioning of the town’s president, Nicolas Féraud.
The investigation is now scrutinizing whether the town’s leadership failed in its duty of care or actively sought to coordinate their testimonies. For the families of the 41 people killed and the 115 injured in the New Year’s Eve blaze, the timing of these interactions is more than a coincidence—it is a potential obstruction of justice.
Allegations of Secret Coordination
At the heart of the current tension is the claim that President Nicolas Féraud conducted two “courtesy visits” to the former security counselor. According to reports, these meetings occurred on the preceding Saturday and again on Tuesday—the latter taking place just one day after Féraud himself had been interrogated by prosecutors.
These encounters have sparked accusations of connivence among the legal teams representing the victims. Me Yaël Hayat, representing the bar’s co-owners, Jacques and Jessica Moretti, described the meetings as “furtive” and “secret.”
«Bien sûr que ça questionne, parce que c’est une visite furtive, c’est une visite en catimini, un huis clos, secrète. Et puis la veille d’une audition, sans doute que ce n’est pas pour parler de la météo», Hayat stated.
Didier Elsig, another lawyer for the civil parties, echoed these concerns, suggesting that the political figures were attempting to synchronize their narratives. He lamented that as time passes, those under investigation have more opportunity to “tune their instruments” to ensure they recite the same partition during official testimony.
In response to these claims, Christian Delaloye, the attorney for Nicolas Féraud, maintained that the visits were not intended to hide evidence or alter the facts of the case, framing them instead as gestures of support.
The Defense of Municipal Oversight
As the Drame de Crans-Montana: des avocats parlent de connivence entre le président Nicolas Féraud et un conseiller communal continues to unfold, the municipality has moved to defend its record on public safety. In a statement published on its official website, the commune argued that it has never been negligent regarding the budget or staffing of its security services.
The administration highlighted a significant increase in resources, noting that between 2017 and 2024, full-time equivalent (FTE) positions within the public security service grew from one to five. The commune asserts that it systematically approved every request for additional personnel made by the heads of security, claiming that the service became one of the most heavily staffed in the canton.
the municipality addressed a 2023 audit concerning the town’s overall functioning. They clarified that the audit was a general review following the 2017 merger of the communes of Chermignon, Montana, Randogne, and Mollens, rather than a targeted inspection of safety protocols. According to the town, the report flagged no specific alarms and identified no particular problems within any service, including public security.
| Event/Action | Timing | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Interrogation of Nicolas Féraud | Monday | First major political summons by the Public Prosecutor. |
| First Alleged Visit | Saturday | Féraud visits former security counselor. |
| Second Alleged Visit | Tuesday | Meeting occurs one day after Féraud’s interrogation. |
| Interrogation of Security Counselor | Wednesday | 12-hour session at Energypolys campus in Sion. |
A Public Apology and Retractions
Parallel to the legal battles over negligence, the tragedy has been marred by damaging personal accusations. Jean-Daniel Clivaz, President of the Crans-Montana Tourism Office, issued a formal apology on Wednesday to the Moretti family after admitting to spreading false information.
The apology follows the leak of an unauthorized recording aired by an Italian television station on January 12, in which Clivaz suggested that Jessica Moretti had fled the scene of the fire with the cash box under her arm. Clivaz admitted that he failed to deny these claims when they gained global traction, acknowledging that he had unjustly attacked her integrity.
Clivaz also extended his apologies to Jacques Moretti regarding reports that he had warned the owner about fire hazards at the Constellation as far back as 2015. Clivaz expressed regret for not debunking these assertions when they first appeared in the media.
Legal Standing and Next Steps
The judicial stakes remain exceptionally high. Nine defendants currently face the same set of grave charges: negligent homicide, negligent bodily harm, and negligent arson. The court must determine whether the deaths were the result of avoidable failures in building safety, inadequate municipal inspections, or a systemic collapse of public security oversight.
The investigation now moves toward corroborating the nature of the meetings between Féraud and his former colleague. Prosecutors are expected to analyze whether these interactions constitute a breach of judicial procedure or were, as the defense claims, merely personal visits.
Disclaimer: This report covers ongoing legal proceedings. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
The next critical phase of the inquiry will involve the review of the 2023 audit’s raw data and further depositions from the security service’s staff to determine if requests for safety upgrades were truly fulfilled as the commune claims.
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