A Colombian judge sentenced former Liberal Party congressman Jairo Alberto Llano Gomez to seven years and six months in jail for ties to demobilized paramilitary organization AUC.
The judge, based in the city of Manizales, considered it proven that Llano Gomez did favors for AUC commanders “Alberto Guerrero” and “Ernesto Baez” when he was mayor of the town of Villamaria, Caldas.
The same judge ruled that the politician is barred from holding public office while in jail and has to pay a $1.8 million fine, several media reported.
Llano Gomez is one of dozens Colombian lawmakers implicated in the “parapolitics” scandal, which revealed the close links of Colombian politicians, businessmen and military with paramilitary death squads.