Former Brazil international football player Robinho, aged 40, has been arrested in his hometown of Santos to serve a nine-year prison term for his involvement in a gang rape case in Italy.
He was convicted two years ago for the assault on an Albanian woman at a nightclub in Milan back in 2013.
The Italian authorities had sought his extradition, but when that failed, they requested that Brazil enforce the sentence.
This week, a Brazilian court upheld this decision, ruling that Robinho must serve his time in prison rather than under house arrest, as was previously the case.
Despite attempts to halt his detention, a Supreme Court judge denied the request, leading to his arrest.
This decisive action by Brazil’s justice system has been commended by many, especially local media outlets, as there were concerns that Robinho’s fame and wealth could enable him to avoid facing consequences.
Robinho, who earned 100 caps for Brazil, was playing for AC Milan when the crime occurred.
His appeals in Italy were unsuccessful, leading to the confirmation of his sentence in 2022, after which an international arrest warrant was issued.
In a recent interview with a Brazilian network, Robinho claimed that the sexual encounter was consensual, but the courts have determined otherwise.
Source-BBC
