A Brazilian court has sentenced former priest Bernardino Batista dos Santos to 24 years and nine months in prison for raping a minor, according to a document obtained by The Associated Press, BTA reported.
The decision was made earlier this week. In a 22-page document, a court in Minas Gerais state ordered Santos, 78, to pay 30,000 Brazilian reais ($5,570) in damages.
Dos Santos' lawyer, Leonardo Diniz, said in a brief statement that he was shocked by the court's decision and would appeal it.
The Archdiocese of Belo Horizonte removed Dos Santos from his post in the neighboring city of Contagem in 2021 after dozens of complaints dating back to 1975. However, his conviction was based on a single case from 2016, after Brazil changed its statute of limitations in such cases.
The former priest was first arrested in October 2024 but was later placed under house arrest with an electronic monitoring bracelet on his ankle, according to authorities in Minas Gerais.
Lawyer Ana Carolina Oliveira, who represents more than 60 people who are alleged to have been raped by Dos Santos, said in a statement that "the court's decision recognizes the seriousness of the acts committed, the particular vulnerability of the minor victim and the profound impact of the violations".