Robinho Arrested In Brazil To Serve Rape Sentence
Former soccer player Robinho was arrested by Brazilian federal police on Thursday to serve out a nine-year prison sentence for rape after a court decision this week authorized the transfer of the sentence from Italy.
In a statement, police said Robinho will undergo a medical examination and a custody hearing before being sent to prison.
A Milan court in 2017 found Robinho and five other Brazilians guilty of gang raping a 22-year-old Albanian woman after getting her drunk in a nightclub in 2013.
The conviction was confirmed by an appeals court in 2020 and validated by Italy’s Supreme Court in 2022.
On Wednesday, Brazil’s top court for non-constitutional matters upheld Robinho’s rape conviction, determining he had to serve his nine-year prison sentence in Brazil.
The Brazilian court did not reopen discussions about the rape conviction, focusing only on whether the sentence in Italy was valid in Brazil.
The 40-year-old Robinho, whose full name is Robson de Souza, now resides in his native Brazil and has always denied the charges.
Robinho had previously played for clubs including Santos, Real Madrid, Manchester City, AC Milan, as well for Brazil’s national team.
Reuters/Ejiofor Ezeifeoma
