Former Manchester City star Robinho has been ordered by Brazilian judges to fulfill a nine-year prison sentence for rape within his home country.
Initially sentenced by an Italian court in 2017 for his involvement in a group sexual assault in 2013, Robinho’s case took a significant turn due to Brazil’s policy against extraditing its citizens. This prompted Italy to request the enforcement of his sentence in Brazil.
The Superior Court of Justice in Brazil, with a decisive 9-2 vote, has now affirmed the Italian court’s ruling, mandating that Robinho serve his sentence domestically.
While the possibility of an appeal to Brazil’s Supreme Court remains, Robinho’s legal representative, Jose Eduardo Alckmin, has argued for a retrial in Brazil, citing national sovereignty.
Robinho, whose transfer to Manchester City in 2008 marked a high-profile moment in football history, later joined AC Milan, where the incident leading to his conviction occurred.
Judge Francisco Falcao, the first to cast a vote in the Brazilian court, emphasized the necessity of serving the sentence to avoid potential diplomatic tensions with Italy. He stated, “The execution of his sentence faces no legal barriers. The Milan court’s judgment is authoritative and definitive. The defendant was not tried in absentia in Italy; he had legal representation.”
Robinho, residing in Santos near Sao Paulo, relinquished his passport to Brazilian authorities last year and maintains his innocence, claiming the encounter at a Milanese establishment was consensual.