Ex-footballer Robinho arrested in Brazil, sentenced to 9 years in prison for group rape

The Brazilian Police arrested former footballer Robson de Souza ‘Robinho’ this Thursday in one of his residences on the coast of São Paulo to begin fulfilling the nine-year prison sentence imposed for a gang rape in Italy.

Federal Police agents arrested the former forward at his home in Santos, the city where he trained as a player, and took him to the police station after the Brazilian Superior Court of Justice confirm the sentence imposed on him by the Italian justice system and order his imprisonment.

Robinho, 40, will undergo the mandatory medical examinations at the Legal Medical Institute and will be sent to the prison systemas reported by the Federal Police in a statement.

The authorities have not yet reported in which prison he will serve the nine-year prison sentence, which will begin in a closed regime.

The prison order was issued by the Federal Justice in the state of São Paulo, immediately after learning that Judge Luis Fux, of the Supreme Court, rejected a request for habeas corpus presented by the former Real Madrid, Milan and Manchester City player.

The former footballer was convicted in Italy in 2017 for a group rape of a young Albanian woman committed in Milan in 2013.but Robinho lived freely until now in his country, since the Brazilian Constitution prohibits the extradition of its nationals.

However, this Wednesday the Superior Court of Justice, the highest court for non-constitutional matters, decided that Robinho is serving his sentence in Brazil and ordered his immediate imprisonment.

During Wednesday’s session, the former Real Madrid soccer player’s lawyer pointed to alleged violations of due process in Italy and stated that the Brazilian law that allows the homologation of foreign sentences comes after the crime committed, arguments that were rejected by the investigating judge. Francisco Falcao.

The magistrate explained in his vote that it is not up to the Brazilian Justice to review the sentence already pronounced by an Italian court or to open a new trial, but only to review if all the requirements are met to accept Italy’s request for the athlete to serve his sentence in Brazil.

After learning of the Court’s decision, the Minister of Women, Cida Gonçalves, said that “It shows that it is possible to respect diplomatic agreements without compromising justice.”

In this sense, the minister asked that the law prevail, ensuring that the sentence is served, because only in this way will society understand that las women “must be respected.”