Brazilian Football Star Robinho Arrested for Rape
In a shocking turn of events, former Brazil international football player Robinho has been taken into custody to begin serving a nine-year prison sentence for rape.
Robinho, now 40 years old, was convicted in Italy two years ago for his involvement in the gang rape of an Albanian woman at a nightclub in Milan back in 2013.
The arrest took place at his residence in Santos, his hometown in Brazil, after the Italian government’s request for his extradition went unanswered.
A Brazilian court upheld the decision on Wednesday, ordering Robinho to serve his sentence in a prison rather than under house arrest.
Despite efforts to halt his detention, a Supreme Court judge denied the request on Thursday, leading to Robinho’s immediate incarceration.
The swift and decisive action by Brazil’s justice system has been commended by many in the local media, who feared the footballer would evade punishment due to his fame and financial status.
Robinho, who earned 100 caps for Brazil, was playing for AC Milan at the time of the crime and lost his appeal in 2020 before the Italian Supreme Court upheld his sentence in 2022.
Following the court ruling, Italian prosecutors issued an international arrest warrant for Robinho, leading to his eventual arrest in Brazil.
In a recent interview with a Brazilian network, the footballer claimed that the sexual encounter was “consensual”, further complicating the ongoing legal battle. — BBC
