Former Colombian President Álvaro Uribe has been sentenced to 12 years of house arrest after being found guilty of procedural fraud and witness bribery, marking the first criminal conviction of a former head of state in the country’s history.
The verdict was delivered by Judge Sandra Heredia of Bogotá’s 44th Criminal Court on Friday, just days after finding Uribe guilty of attempting to manipulate testimony in a long-running legal battle. He was acquitted of a separate charge involving the alleged bribery of a prosecutor.
Uribe, 73, who led Colombia from 2002 to 2010 and remains a powerful political figure, has denied the charges. His legal team confirmed they will appeal the ruling.
The case originated in 2012 after Uribe accused Senator Iván Cepeda of falsely linking him to paramilitary groups. However, in 2018, Colombia’s Supreme Court turned the investigation on Uribe, suspecting him of witness tampering.
The trial, which lasted 67 days, culminated in a historic conviction that has divided Colombian politics.
Supporters, including former President Iván Duque, maintain Uribe’s innocence, while government allies hailed the ruling as a milestone for accountability.
“This is only the beginning,” Cepeda said, adding that more legal steps remain.
