Shakira tells court: Relationship with Pique not solid until after second child

Unfortunately for Colombian singer Shakira, she is still being forced to relive the details of her relationship with former partner Gerard Pique months after they announced their split. Now, she is talking about the way their relationship developed while she stands on trial for her tax fraud case in a Barcelona court.

The multi-Grammy Award winner is facing charges over tax offences that were allegedly committed between 2012 and 2014. She and the former FC Barcelona defender made their relationship public in 2011, but she told the court that she was not a Barcelona resident until several years later in 2015.

Shakira and Pique met in 2010 during Spain's successful run to the FIFA World Cup title in South Africa. By then, she was already a global superstar based in Miami, Florida. Meanwhile, Pique had established himself as an integral part of the Spanish national team and was also just becoming one of the pillars of the Barcelona squad.

Shakira said that despite having their first child, Milan, she and Pique only travelled to see each other during the first half of their union. "There was no firm commitment between the two and they could only see each other during holidays or fleeting trips, either in Barcelona or in other parts of the world," read a statement from Shakira's defence team as quoted by Marca.

According to her court statement, she and her former partner only decided to settle together in Spain in 2015 after their second son, Sasha, was born. Milan also started school then, and Pique had signed a new long-term contract with FC Barcelona. At that time, her contract also ended with American reality TV show "The Voice," which she opted not to renew.

As such, she is saying that she only formally moved to Spain to live with the footballer in 2015. This means that prior to that time, she believes she did not commit any tax offences in the country as she had not even established residency.

Similar tax fraud cases can lead up to eight years in prison, but the singer, having had no previous criminal record, may be able to avoid jail time even if she is found guilty. The case has been dragging on for a long time, and she will be eager to get it behind her now that she is seeking to rebuild her life back in Miami after her relationship with Pique fell apart earlier this year.