Ex-Brazil player, Dani Alves, to be freed on R20 million bail after rape conviction

 

SPAIN-BRAZIL-FOOTBALL-JUSTICE

Brazilian footballer Dani Alves looks down during his trial at the High Court of Justice of Catalonia in Barcelona, on February 5, 2024. Brazilian footballer Dani Alves, a former star at Barca and PSG, goes on trial in Barcelona accused of raping a woman in a local nightclub. Prosecutors are asking for a nine-year prison sentence, followed by 10 years of conditional liberty. They are also asking he pay 150,000 euros ($162,000) in compensation to the woman. (Photo by ALBERTO ESTÉVEZ / POOL / AFP) (Photo by ALBERTO ESTEVEZ/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

A Spanish court has ruled that ex-Barcelona and Brazil footballer Dani Alves can be conditionally released from jail after serving about a quarter of his sentence for rape. Alves, who was sentenced to four and a half years in prison last month, will be released on R20.4 million (€1m; £853,000) bail. He had been held in pre-trial detention since January 2023. The 40-year-old was found guilty of raping a woman in a Barcelona nightclub in December 2022.

The conditions for his release include turning over both his Brazilian and Spanish passports so he cannot leave Spain, appearing before the court weekly, and imposing a restraining order. The ruling came a day after Alves' lawyer requested his release on the grounds that he had already served a quarter of his sentence in pre-trial detention following his arrest.

The victim's lawyer, Ester Garcia, called the decision "a scandal" and said it was "a justice system for the rich." The court found that there was evidence other than the victim's testimony that proved that she had been raped. The court stated that Alves had "abruptly grabbed the complainant" and thrown her to the ground. He then raped her while preventing her from moving as "the complainant said no and wanted to leave".

Alves played more than 400 times for Barcelona, winning six league titles and three Champions Leagues across two spells with the club. He was also part of Brazil's 2022 World Cup squad. He has won trophies playing for Sevilla, Juventus, and PSG and is among Brazil's most capped internationals, with 126 appearances.