Former Brazilian national soccer player Robinho faces a long prison sentence for rape in his home country. The former Real Madrid, Manchester City and AC Milan striker will now serve the nine-year prison sentence imposed on him in Italy in Brazil, the South American country’s Supreme Court ruled on Wednesday. The 40-year-old must begin prison immediately.
According to media reports, Robinho’s lawyers announced that they would appeal the verdict. They also want to ensure that the former professional footballer can await the outcome of the proceedings in freedom. Robinho was sentenced to nine years in prison in Italy in 2017 for his involvement in the gang rape of an Albanian woman in a nightclub in Milan. After all legal remedies were exhausted, the judgment became final in 2022.
At that time, however, Robinho had already returned to his home country – and Brazil generally does not extradite its citizens to other countries. The Italian judiciary then asked for the verdict to be ratified in Brazil so that Robinho would at least have to serve his sentence in his home country. This has now been granted.
Recently, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva himself spoke out in favor of the ex-footballer serving his sentence in Brazil. “Rape is an unforgivable crime. Robinho has already been convicted in Italy and should serve his sentence,” he said in an interview on SBT television.