The defendant was accused of a felony theft, two of aggravated abuse of trust and one of money laundering.

According to the court, the crime of abuse of trust in the parish of Santo Condestável, in Lisbon, was proven.

With regard to the crime of theft, the man was accused of appropriating and selling dozens of pieces of sacred art, also in the parish of Santo Condestável.

In the decision, the court acquitted the parish priest of the crime of money laundering and of an aggravated abuse of trust related to the parish of Nossa Senhora do Remédios in Carcavelos, in the municipality of Cascais (Lisbon).

According to the court, it was not considered that there was "an intention to hide or conceal the money that was deposited, hence it was acquitted of the crime of money laundering".

In the collective decision, the fact that the defendant “transferred his account to the parish and vice versa” also weighed in, and the court was unable to “form a sure conviction that he appropriated the money”.

In addition to his four years and six months in prison, with a suspended sentence, the priest was ordered to pay several civil damages.

At the end of the session, in statements to journalists, the defendant's lawyer said he would appeal the decision, claiming to have “grounds” for doing so.