Brazilian footballer Dani Alves has paid £860,000 in bail to secure his release from prison while appealing a rape conviction, as confirmed by a Spanish court on Monday.
Alves, who must surrender his passports, is expected to be released later today.
In December 2022, Alves was found guilty of raping a woman in a nightclub, resulting in a sentence of four years and six months in prison.
Throughout the three-day trial, Alves maintained his innocence. He has been detained preventively at the Brians II prison near Barcelona for the past 14 months.
Last week, a court granted Alves bail after previously denying his requests due to concerns about him fleeing.
The decision was not unanimous, but the judges who favored bail believed the risk of flight had decreased.
However, Spain’s state prosecutors’ office in Barcelona has asked the court to reconsider, arguing that the risk of Alves fleeing has increased following his conviction. They point out that Brazil does not extradite its citizens sentenced in other countries.
The date for Alves’ appeal trial in a higher court in Barcelona has not been set. His lawyers are aiming for an acquittal, while prosecutors are seeking to increase his sentence to nine years. The victim’s lawyer is advocating for a 12-year prison term for Alves.
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