Brazil court grants home arrest to Rio's outgoing mayor

Rio de Janeiro's outgoing mayor Marcelo Crivella is expected to leave jail on Wednesday after Brazil's Supreme Court of Justice granted him home arrest. Prosecutors said Crivella headed a criminal group which collected 53 million reais ($10.27 million) in bribes from companies with contracts with the city hall.

Rio de Janeiro's outgoing mayor Marcelo Crivella is expected to leave jail on Wednesday after Brazil's Supreme Court of Justice granted him home arrest. Crivella, whose term ends on Dec. 31, was arrested on Tuesday on graft allegations, in an embarrassment for Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, an ideological ally and anti-corruption campaigner who had backed the mayor's failed re-election bid.

Crivella, the first Rio mayor arrested during the course of his term, denied on Tuesday any wrongdoing and said he was the target of political persecution. The court considered risk of Covid-19 contamination in its decision. Prosecutors said Crivella headed a criminal group which collected 53 million reais ($10.27 million) in bribes from companies with contracts with the city hall. ($1 = 5.1596 reais)