Álvaro Uribe, former president of Colombia, has been sentenced to 12 years of house arrest after being found guilty of procedural fraud and witness bribery, marking the first time a former Colombian president has received a criminal conviction.
The verdict was announced on Friday by Judge Sandra Heredia of Bogotá’s 44th Criminal Court, four days after ruling Uribe guilty on the charges. He was acquitted of a separate accusation related to bribing a prosecutor.
Uribe, 73, who led the country from 2002 to 2010, has consistently denied any wrongdoing. His legal team has stated their intention to appeal the decision.
The case originated in 2012 when Uribe accused Senator Iván Cepeda of attempting to associate him with the formation of a paramilitary group—a claim Cepeda has denied. In an unexpected development, the Colombian Supreme Court began investigating Uribe in 2018 for alleged witness tampering.
Following years of legal proceedings, the Colombian Prosecutor’s Office formally charged Uribe in May 2024 with procedural fraud, bribery in criminal proceedings, and bribery. The trial lasted 67 days before concluding this week.
Uribe’s innocence claims were supported by political allies, including former President Iván Duque and opposition members. Conversely, figures aligned with the current government hailed the ruling as a triumph for justice.
Senator Cepeda, central to the case, welcomed the verdict but emphasized that further legal processes remain. “There is still a long way to go,” he remarked.
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