Rio de Janeiro, Apr 26 (IANS): Brazil's Supreme Court has ordered footballer Bruno Fernandes to return to jail for the murder of his former girlfriend.

Bruno, as he is known in Brazil, was granted a writ of habeas corpus in February after serving less than seven years of a 22-year sentence for killing Eliza Samudio, reports Xinhua news agency.

A panel of judges voted to overturn the decision on Tuesday, citing "the hideous" nature of the crime, in which the goalkeeper is accused of mutilating Samudio's body and feeding it to dogs.

Bruno resumed his playing career last month, signing a two-year contract with Brazilian Serie B team Boa Esporte, just two weeks after his release from prison.

Bruno's habeas corpus - and his subsequent return to football - caused outrage in Brazil and raised questions about the country's justice system.

The 32-year-old's career has included spells at Atletico Mineiro, Corinthians and Flamengo. In 2009 he was captain of the Flamengo team that won the Serie A championship.