Robson De Souza, the former footballer known professionally as Robinho, is set to serve a nine-year prison term for his involvement in a gang rape, as decreed by an Italian court. The enforcement of the sentence will take place in Brazil, following a decision by judges in Brasília.
In 2017, an Italian court found the ex-Manchester City and Real Madrid striker guilty. Brazil’s Superior Court of Justice confirmed the ruling on March 20, 2024, as reported by Globo.
De Souza, along with five other individuals, was convicted of assaulting an Albanian woman at an Italian nightclub in January 2013. Despite his final appeal being rejected by the Supreme Court in Rome in January 2022, De Souza has maintained his innocence and has resided in Brazil for the last seven years. The decision to enforce his sentence in Brazil was made after a majority of the court’s ministers voted in favor.
According to Globo, De Souza, who also played for AC Milan and Real Madrid, is expected to be detained in Santos, his current place of residence. At the time of the incident, he was 28 years old and a player for AC Milan. During his appeal, he acknowledged having ‘contact’ with the woman but claimed that it was consensual.
The Milan Court of Appeals upheld the original sentence in December 2020, finding that De Souza had severely humiliated the victim. Intercepted communications between De Souza and the other individuals implicated were critical evidence leading to his conviction.
