Dani Alves finally tastes freedom after coughing up ₦1.5 billion for bail

The former Barcelona star shelled out £850,000 to meet the bail conditions, paving the way for his return home.

Alves, who was convicted of rape, managed to secure his release after complying with the court's orders, including surrendering his Spanish and Brazilian passports. 

Despite being granted permission to leave prison last Wednesday pending an appeal of his four-and-a-half-year sentence, he remained incarcerated over the weekend due to difficulties in raising the required funds.

According to reports, Neymar's father was initially expected to assist Alves in paying the bail, but later denied any involvement, citing political pressure. 

The footballer's legal team had previously made unsuccessful attempts to secure bail, citing concerns about flight risk.

Alves is expected to reside in his £4 million home in Esplugues de Llobregat, west of Barcelona, while his legal team navigates the appeal process, as reported by the Sun.

While Alves' release has been welcomed by his supporters, it has sparked outrage among critics, including the lawyer representing the victim. 

Ester Garcia described the decision to release Alves as "scandalous," denouncing it as "justice for the rich."

The footballer maintains his innocence, claiming the encounter was consensual and expressing surprise and outrage at his conviction. 

"I'm very surprised and totally outraged because it's like this is justice for the rich," Alves stated.

Alves' bail was set at £850,000, which was initially expected to be covered by Neymar Jr's father. However, Neymar's father later clarified that they would not be providing financial assistance, citing the Spanish court's ruling against Alves.

In response to the controversy, Neymar's father emphasized that the matter was now closed for his family, expressing hope that Alves would find support within his own family.

Alves' legal team argued for his release, citing the time he had already spent in pre-trial detention since his arrest in January 2023. 

Despite prosecutors appealing the decision to grant bail, Alves' release is expected to proceed as planned.