Politician surrenders to serve sentence for Galan murder

Colombian former Minister Alberto Santofimio surrendered to authorities Wednesday after the Supreme Court annulled his acquittal for ordering the 1989 murder of popular presidential candidate Luis Carlos Galan.

Santofimio, accompanied by his defense attorney, presented himself at the Prosecutor General’s Office where he was arrested.

The Supreme Court ordered the former justice minister to complete his sentence of 24 years imprisonment despite being acquitted of the murder charges by a lower court.

Santofimio has always denied responsibility in the murder on Galan but several witnesses testified that the politician asked his friend, slain drug lord Pablo Escobar, to kill Galan who was Santofimio’s political opponent in the race to the 1990 presidency.

The family of Galan said they were “pleased” that “justice was served.”

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