ionigeria.com Nigerian Newspaper
FORMER Barcelona footballer Dani Alves will stand trial for allegedly sexually assaulting a woman in a nightclub late last year.
Alves was arrested on Jan. 20 and has been held in a prison outside Barcelona. If found guilty he could face a jail sentence of four to 15 years. He has maintained that he had consensual sex with his accuser.
In a document signed by three judges the investigation court No. 15 in Barcelona, which is yet to set a date for the proceedings to begin, said there were sufficient grounds for Alves to stand trial, following requests by the public prosecutor and the woman’s lawyer.
In August, judges formally indicted Alves after finding evidence of wrongdoing by the 40-year-old player.
“The statements of the alleged victim and the witnesses statements and experts’ reports that appear in the case must be considered as sufficient for this purpose, without prejudice to the final outcome following the plenary phase,” the court said.
In Spain, a claim of rape is investigated under the general accusation of sexual assault and convictions can lead to prison sentences of four to 15 years.
