Enlarge image
Former soccer star Robinho
Photo: Victor R. Caivano / AP
Former soccer star Robinho was arrested on Thursday evening at his home in Santos, Brazil. Federal police officers were implementing the decision of the Supreme Court (STJ) made on Wednesday. Accordingly, Robinho must now serve the nine-year prison sentence imposed on him in Italy for involvement in a gang rape in Brazil.
Shortly before the arrest, an application for a release from custody was rejected. However, Robinho's lawyers announced that they would again request habeas corpus for their client, although the court will probably not decide on this until after Easter.
Robinho, whose real name is Robson de Souza, was found guilty by the Italian judiciary in 2017. In January 2013, he and five other men are said to have raped a woman in a Milan nightclub.
Robinho denies the crime
Italy's Supreme Court confirmed the verdict in January 2022. Robinho always denied the allegations and returned to his home country after the incident. In an interview broadcast on a local television station on Sunday, Robinho said he had been "unjustly convicted in Italy for something that did not happen."
At the time of the crime, Robinho was under contract with top Italian club AC Milan. In Europe he also played for Real Madrid, Manchester City and in Turkey. The now 40-year-old played in 100 games for the Brazilian national team.
In August 2014, Robinho returned to FC Santos from Italy, and the case became public a few weeks later. The Brazilian was tried in absentia. Italy's judiciary has long insisted on extradition, but Brazil generally does not extradite its nationals. Italy therefore demanded that Robinho serve his sentence in his home country instead. Brazil has now complied with this demand.
mlb/sid/AFP/AP