Published in:
Accused of rape, the Brazilian soccer player Daniel Alves will remain in custody in Spain. The appeal filed by his lawyers was rejected on Tuesday (21) by a court in Barcelona due to the “high risk of fleeing” from the country.
“The court confirms the provisional detention” and “rejects the appeal presented by the defence”, said a statement released by the judicial authorities of Catalonia, Spain.
The court highlights “the high risk of flight” for Alves, “linked to the high penalty that could be imposed in this case” and his financial means “which would allow him to leave Spain at any time” to go to Brazil from where he could not be extradited.
The decision was communicated this Tuesday morning to the defense, the prosecution and the Public Ministry.
Indictment
Daniel Alves, 39, is accused of rape by a 23-year-old. According to the victim, the aggression would have happened at the end of December, in the bathroom of a nightclub in Barcelona. Cornered, the player changed his version of what happened several times.
Tests confirmed the presence of Alves’ DNA on the young woman’s body and traces of the player’s semen on the floor and on the alleged victim’s clothes.
Daniel Alves has been imprisoned since January 20 in the Brians prison complex, located about 40 kilometers from Barcelona.
A few hours after the announcement of his accusation, the Mexican club Pumas announced the termination of the former Barça and PSG player’s contract, initially scheduled to last until June 2023.