Robinho jailed in São Paulo since March: "Here it's about rehab" | OneFootball

The former Brazilian striker Robson de Souza, better known as Robinho, has been serving a sentence since March 2024 and, in a video released by the Taubaté Community Council, denied rumors of privileges or benefits due to his status as a former elite footballer.

The Brazilian is being held at Penitentiary II of Tremembé, in the state of São Paulo, after the local courts validated a sentence from Italian courts for a case of gang rape committed in 2013.

The sentence, nine years in prison, was confirmed by both the Superior Court of Justice (STJ) and the Federal Supreme Court (STF), after the Brazilian government refused to extradite him due to his nationality.

The former player for Santos, Real Madrid, Manchester City, and AC Milan, among others, remains housed in the Dr. José Augusto César Salgado prison, known as the “prison of the famous,” where several inmates are serving sentences for high-profile cases.

“My diet and my sleep schedule are the same as everyone else’s. I have never eaten anything different nor have I received any different treatment,” Robinho stated in the recording, where he also denied reports about psychological problems or leadership within the prison.

“They have lied, saying that I am a leader or that I have mental problems. I have never had that nor have I taken medication. It is hard to be in prison, but I keep a cool head,” said the former striker, who added: “Here, the goal is to re-educate and resocialize. The guards are in charge and we inmates obey.”

Regarding his legal situation, Robinho continues to serve his sentence in Brazilian territory, after the Supreme Court of Cassation in Rome requested his extradition, a request that was denied.

Later, the Italian judiciary requested that the ruling be validated in Brazil, which led to his imprisonment in March 2024. His defense filed several appeals for his release, but all were rejected and, at 41 years old, the former player will have to remain in prison until 2033, the year his sentence will end.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.