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Colombia’s Constitutional Court upheld a Supreme ruling that former Senator Juan Manuel Lopez Cabrales be sentenced to six years in jail for his paramilitary ties.

The Constitutional Court’s ruling followed an appeal by Lopez’ legal team to overturn the ruling.

In November 2008 Lopez was convicted for signing the 2001 Ralito Pact – an agreement between politicians, businessmen and far-right paramilitaries to secure political power. However the parapolitician appealed the sentence.

Extradited paramilitary leader Salvatore Mancuso testified of Lopez’s involvement with now-demobilized paramilitary organization the AUC.

Lopez was also ordered to pay COP 920 million pesos and is barred from public office for six years.