Trial over the Bondo landslide opens in Chur with Anna Giacometti among the defendants

The prosecution charges the defendants with alleged negligence in the assessment of geological risks and in communicating warnings to the population. The defence, for its part, argues that the signals available before the event were consistent with the massif's usual activity and that the protocols in force were followed.

Background to the case

According to the prosecution, Giacometti and the other officials allegedly underestimated the reports on the instability of Piz Cengalo and failed to adopt sufficient preventive measures. The prosecution is seeking to clarify the individual responsibilities of each of the five defendants.

Anna Giacometti began her political career as secretary of the municipal council of Bondo. She later coordinated the merger of Bondo and other localities into the new municipality of Bregaglia and in 2010 became its first president, a position she held at the time of the disaster.

The 2017 Piz Cengalo collapse triggered a massive rock avalanche that swept down the Bondasca valley to Bondo, destroying several buildings and causing extensive material damage. Eight hikers who were in the valley lost their lives in the event.

2017 Piz Cengalo rockslide

The case has resonated widely in the canton of Grisons and across Switzerland, as it is one of the most significant court proceedings linked to a natural disaster in the country. Media attention has focused on the possible responsibility of the local authorities in risk management.

During the proceedings, experts in geology, avalanche engineering, and natural risk management will testify, along with representatives of the cantonal warning services. The victims and their families are scheduled to be heard on a dedicated day of the judicial calendar.

The verdict is not expected until weeks after the end of the hearings, once the court has weighed all the expert evidence and testimonies. The ruling could set a precedent regarding the criminal liability of municipal authorities in the face of natural disasters in Switzerland.

Trial proceedings in Chur

The defendants, including Giacometti, arrived at the Chur courthouse in silence and made no statements to the press. Outside, residents of Bondo and representatives of the victims' families gathered, continuing to demand that the circumstances of what happened nearly nine years ago be clarified.