Brazil’s justice system is set to make a pivotal decision on Wednesday regarding the fate of former Manchester City and Real Madrid striker, Robinho, and his nine-year rape sentence handed down by an Italian court. The Superior Court of Justice (STJ) in Brazil will review Italy’s request to enforce the prison sentence imposed in 2017 and confirmed in 2022.
Expressing his hopes for a fair hearing, Robinho, also known as Robson de Souza, spoke out in an interview with Brazilian network TV Record, stating, “I hope that here in Brazil I can have the voice that I didn’t have there.” Despite his protestations of innocence, Robinho was convicted as part of a group of six men who raped a young Albanian woman celebrating her 23rd birthday at a Milan nightclub in 2013 while playing for AC Milan.
Following the affirmation of his sentence by Italy’s highest court and the issuance of an international arrest warrant, Italy sought to have Robinho serve his sentence in Brazil, as extradition of nationals is not permitted. Accusing the Italian justice system of racism, Robinho defended himself by claiming the encounter was consensual. He emphasized his frustration with racism in Italy, stating, “The same people who do nothing about racism, which I repudiate, are the ones who condemned me.”
Should the ruling not be in his favor, the 40-year-old could remain free pending an appeal to Brazil’s Supreme Court. Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has expressed his desire for Robinho to “serve” the sentence within Brazil’s borders.