Death of students as usual: the trial begins that pits the families of the victims against the Braga Chamber

The civil trial that pits the families of three students, who died following the collapse of a wall during a practice in 2014, against the Braga City Council and the company responsible for the wall begins this Thursday.

At issue is a new process, this time in the Administrative and Fiscal Court of Braga, to determine civil liability for the accident. The start of the trial is scheduled for 9:30 am, after having been postponed twice.

The case dates back to April 23, 2014, when four students from the University of Minho climbed onto a wall, during a practice, and the structure ended up giving way. Three students who were at the base of the structure died.

The families of the three fatal victims want to determine the responsibilities of the municipality of Braga and the company responsible for managing the condominium regarding the state of conservation of the wall.

Each family is asking for 150,000 euros in damages for death and non-material damage, explains SIC journalist Marta Sobral, adding that the victims’ countries are asking for total compensation of 450,000 euros.

The parents, who lost their children 10 years ago, claim that Braga City Council and the company responsible had already been alerted to signs of poor condition and danger of falling.

The other four students who were present at the event were acquitted in the criminal case in 2019. They were accused of negligent homicide.