TheJakartaPost

Please Update your browser

Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.

Jakarta Post

Brazil police question Neymar over alleged rape

Neymar's appearance comes after Brazilian police said Thursday they had filed a defamation suit against his rape accuser for insinuating the force was corrupt.

News Desk (Agence France-Presse)
Sao Paulo, Brazil
Fri, June 14, 2019

Share This Article

Change Size

Brazil police question Neymar over alleged rape Brazil's star striker Neymar leaves a Police Station after giving a statement to police for posting intimate WhatsApp messages with Najila Trindade Mendes de Souza, who has accused of rape, on social media, at the Internet Crime Special Police Unit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on June 6, 2019. (AFP/Mauro Pimentel )

B

razilian police questioned Neymar for five hours on Thursday over allegations he raped a woman he met through social media in a Paris hotel last month -- charges he has denied.

"The truth appears sooner or later," the world's most expensive footballer, who walked on crutches after injuring his right ankle in a pre-Copa America friendly against Qatar last week that forced him out of South America's showcase tournament, told reporters.

The footballer, aged 27, arrived at the police station shortly before 4:00 pm local time (1900 GMT) and left at around 9:00 pm.

Neymar's appearance comes after Brazilian police said Thursday they had filed a defamation suit against his rape accuser for insinuating the force was corrupt.

During an interview with television channel SBT this week, Najila Trindade said: "The police are bought, aren't they? Or am I crazy?", in response to questions over the police investigation of an alleged theft of a tablet device from her home that contained a short video she claims has conclusive evidence she was assaulted.

The ugly affair has dominated headlines in Brazil as it prepares to host the Copa America and tarnished the festive atmosphere ahead of Friday's opening game between the Selecao and Bolivia.

Neymar, who plays for Paris Saint-Germain, previously gave a statement to Rio de Janeiro police over WhatsApp messages posted on his Instagram account that featured intimate photos of Trindade.

He told police that an assistant and a technician were responsible for sharing the messages and photos, TV Globo reported previously.

More than 60 percent of Brazilians believe Neymar is innocent, according to a recent poll of 2,071 people last week.

Only 14 percent think he is guilty, Parana Pesquisas said.

Your Opinion Matters

Share your experiences, suggestions, and any issues you've encountered on The Jakarta Post. We're here to listen.

Enter at least 30 characters
0 / 30

Thank You

Thank you for sharing your thoughts. We appreciate your feedback.