A sexual coercion charge against an 80-something former priest standing trial in Vila Real has been dropped after the alleged victim refused to testify and formally withdrew her complaint, complicating a case that has drawn scrutiny to decades of alleged impersonation and exploitation.
Humberto Gama, an ex-cleric expelled from the Catholic Church in the mid-1970s, still faces prosecution by the Portugal Public Prosecutor's Office for qualified fraud, ongoing usurpation of functions, and rape. The trial, which began on May 12 and is proceeding behind closed doors, heard witness testimony this week and is scheduled to resume on June 23.
The collapse of one charge underscores a persistent reality in Portugal's justice system: victims of sexual crimes frequently abandon formal complaints due to trauma, fear of retaliation, economic vulnerability, or the revictimization that can accompany protracted court proceedings.
Why This Matters
Experts cite trauma, lack of support, and fear as reasons sexual assault complainants in Portugal often drop cases, even when evidence exists. Under Portuguese law, certain sexual offenses allow complainants to withdraw until first-instance sentencing, unless prosecutors pursue the case independently in the public interest.
Multiple individuals have been prosecuted in recent years for presenting themselves as Catholic priests and exorcists without authorization, highlighting a troubling pattern of church impersonation in the country.
Four Decades as a Fraudulent Exorcist
Court documents show that Gama was dismissed from his religious order in the early 1970s and expelled from the priesthood by mid-1979. Despite this, he continued to wear clerical vestments, introduce himself as a Catholic exorcist, and conduct "spiritual consultations" from his home in Murça, Vila Real district, until his arrest on December 24, 2021.
The Portugal Judiciary Police detained him that day on suspicion of raping a 47-year-old woman during what he described as a spiritual session. He was held in preventive detention until April 2022, when he was released pending trial.
The instructional judge's decision, issued on October 31, 2025, found sufficient evidence that Gama received financial compensation from clients who believed he was an ordained priest, appearing on national television programs in priestly garb and billing himself as a practicing exorcist affiliated with the Catholic Church.
According to the indictment filed in September 2023, Gama allegedly exploited the psychological vulnerability of at least one woman during a December 2021 session at his residence, placing her in "a state resembling unconsciousness" and removing "all capacity to react" before engaging in sexual acts. A second woman allegedly endured "forced physical contact," the charge that was withdrawn this week.
The Victim Withdrawal Phenomenon
Advocacy organizations and law enforcement in Portugal have identified overlapping reasons victims of sexual violence drop complaints:
• Fear of reprisal from the accused or their associates
• Lack of family or community support, particularly when the perpetrator is a relative or intimate partner
• Economic dependence on the accused
• Trauma compounded by intrusive legal procedures, which many victims describe as retraumatizing
• Cultural stigma around sexuality and public disclosure
• Relationship dynamics: more than 50% of sexual assault cases in Portugal involve an offender known to the victim
Semi-public sexual offenses—including rape and certain acts involving adolescents—permit withdrawal of complaints until the first-instance verdict is published, provided the accused does not object. Prosecutors retain discretion to proceed in the victim's interest, but in practice, such cases often stall or collapse.
How Impostor Clerics Operate
The Catholic Church in Portugal has issued repeated warnings about individuals who misrepresent themselves as priests. Diocese registries are the primary safeguard: legitimate clergy are "incardinated" in a parish or assigned specific duties by a bishop, and their credentials can be verified through diocesan offices.
Impostor priests typically operate outside recognized parishes or ecclesiastical facilities, offer "on-demand" sacraments—masses, marriages, baptisms, exorcisms—for direct payment, and present business cards and solicit donations for nonexistent charities. They have no traceable parish assignment or bishop oversight.
In Gama's case, the Diocese of Leiria-Fátima and other church authorities have issued public repudiations, emphasizing that his use of the title "padre" and priestly vestments is fraudulent and that any sacraments he purported to perform lack validity under canon law.
What This Means for Residents
Anyone seeking the services of a Catholic priest in Portugal should request diocesan credentials and verify them directly with the local curia. Suspicions of impostor clergy should be reported to diocesan Child and Vulnerable Adult Protection Commissions.
Victims of sexual violence can access support through the Portuguese Victim Support Association (APAV), which collaborates with both church and civil authorities. Complaints of criminal conduct should be directed to the Portugal Judiciary Police or local prosecutors, even when church processes are underway.
The Trial Continues
Gama has consistently denied all charges, telling reporters outside the Vila Real courthouse that he feels "confident and calm" about the proceedings. His defense challenged the prosecution's case through the optional instructional phase, a pre-trial review by a criminal investigative judge that determines whether sufficient evidence exists to proceed.
The next hearing is set for June 23. If convicted on the remaining counts, Gama faces potential prison time for qualified fraud, continuous usurpation of functions, and rape—charges that carry substantial penalties under Portuguese criminal law.
The case illustrates the intersection of religious fraud, sexual violence, and the structural challenges that deter victims from seeing complaints through to verdict. It also highlights the limits of institutional oversight when individuals expelled from religious orders continue to exploit public trust for decades without detection or intervention.
