Rape Conviction: Dani Alves Granted Bail Of €1 Million

Barcelona court granted bail to ex-Brazil defender Dani Alves on Wednesday, following the payment of a €1 million fee.

After being found guilty of sexual assault in February, Alves was given a four-and-a-half-year prison sentence, having already served more than a year of his term.

Following the appeal filed by his lawyer, Ines Guardiola, and a hearing on Tuesday, the 40-year-old has been released until a final resolution is reached on the appeal.

The requirement for Alves is to hand in his Spanish and Brazilian passports and to remain within Spain, agreeing to weekly court check-ins.

Additionally, he is required to comply with a restraining order that prohibits him from approaching within 1,000 meters of his victim, her residence, workplace, or any other location she frequents.

The ruling issued on Wednesday grants a three-day appeal period to the defense, the victim’s legal counsel, and the prosecution.

Naija News had earlier reported that the Brazilian star was sentenced on February 22, following a conviction for raping a young woman at a Barcelona nightclub in December 2022.

The case against Alves was built on the testimony of the victim, who recounted her experience from behind a screen to maintain her anonymity.

She described a violent encounter in which Alves forcibly had sexual relations with her in the nightclub’s private bathroom, despite her pleas for him to stop.

This testimony painted a vivid picture of the victim’s “anguish and terror” during the incident.

The defence’s argument suggested that the victim had shown interest in Alves while they were dancing at the nightclub, insinuating a mutual “sexual tension.”

However, the court’s 61-page decision firmly stated that such an interpretation did not imply consent for any subsequent actions.