Ronaldinho’s hopes of an early end to his five-month prison and house arrest hell has hit rock for at least a fortnight.
The Paraguayan judge who will decide the 40-year-old's fate has set a court hearing where he could agree to release the retired footballer and his brother for August 24.
The pair were hoping for a release at the start of this week after it emerged prosecutors probing them over a fake passport scandal were open to letting them fly back to Brazil following the payment of fines.
They will remain at the four-star Palmaroga Hotel in Asuncion where they have been prisoners since April as part of a house arrest agreement until at least the next court date.
It was not clear today whether judge Gustavo Amarilla could allow them to leave Paraguay immediately after the hearing if he rubber-stamps the new prosecution proposal or will keep them in the country for more days or weeks pending his final decision.
Reports at the weekend said the former Barcelona and AC Milan star had been offered freedom and an escape from the trial in exchange for a £70,000 cash payment following his March arrest for allegedly entering Paraguay with a doctored passport.
Roberto de Assis Moreira was told he could be allowed to board the same plane home with his younger brother if a judge accepted a new prosecution proposal for him based around a two year suspended jail sentence and a £85,000 fine.
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Both men would have to plead guilty to a charge of entering the country with falsified passports as part of a so-called deal called a ‘Salida process’ in Paraguay, according to reports in the South American country.
This article was most recently revised and updated 4 years ago
