Former Colombian Deputy Communications Minister Rommel Hurtado was killed in Armenia, in the Quindio department, when a gunman on a motorcycle shot him in the head in the city center Thursday morning, reports El Espectador.
The gunman fled to the north of the city, but was later found by police in the Guayaquil neighborhood, where he was shot dead by police in a gun battle.
Hurtado had been an outspoken critic of local politicians and a key witness in a corruption case involving former Armenia mayor David Barros and the former governor of Quindio, Amparo Arbelaez.
The former deputy minister had himself been implicated in scandals involving drug trafficking, and allegedly had connections to the Cali cartel.
Hurtado’s name appeared on a list of payment recipients made by Ara Investments Ltd, a company which turned out to be a front for the Cali cartel.