Brazil’s justice system is set to make a decision on Wednesday regarding whether former Manchester City and Real Madrid striker Robinho will have to serve his nine-year rape sentence, which was issued by an Italian court, in his home country of South America.
The Superior Court of Justice (STJ) in Brazil will review the Italian request to validate the prison term that was initially imposed in 2017 and confirmed in 2022.
In an interview with Brazilian network TV Record on Sunday, Robinho, who has consistently maintained his innocence, expressed his desire for a fair hearing in Brazil, saying, “I hope that here in Brazil I can have the voice that I didn’t have there.”
Robson de Souza, also known as “Robinho”, is currently at liberty despite his conviction for his involvement in a group assault on a young Albanian woman during her 23rd birthday celebration at a nightclub in Milan back in 2013. At the time of the incident, the former Brazil international was playing for AC Milan.
Despite his sentence being upheld by Italy’s highest court and an international arrest warrant being issued by Italian prosecutors, Robinho cannot be extradited from Brazil due to the country’s laws. Consequently, Italy has requested that Robinho serve his sentence in Brazil.
Robinho has accused the Italian justice system of racism, asserting that the encounter was consensual and highlighting the lack of evidence linking him to the crime. He criticized the system for its handling of racism issues during his time in Italy.
If the ruling is unfavorable, the 40-year-old may continue to remain free while awaiting an appeal to Brazil’s Supreme Court. Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has expressed his desire for Robinho to “serve” his sentence within Brazil.
The potential approval of Italy’s request by Brazilian magistrates is seen as a rare occurrence due to the recent nature of the law permitting such actions. Lawyer Leonardo Pantaleao noted that it would be an unprecedented case in Brazil.
The cases of Robinho and former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain defender Dani Alves have drawn criticism for the failure of football authorities in Brazil to condemn violence against women. Alves was sentenced to four-and-a-half years in prison for a similar offense in Barcelona, with the response from football organizations and former colleagues being notably muted.
For Robinho, once hailed as the successor to Brazil’s football legends, his career has taken a sharp downturn. Despite early promise at Santos and stints at top European clubs, his reputation has been tarnished by off-field controversies and legal issues.
