Uribe, who denies any wrongdoing, has pledged to appeal following his conviction for witness tampering and bribery.

Colombian former President Álvaro Uribe has been sentenced to 12 years of house arrest for witness tampering and a fraud charge. The 73-year-old is the first former president in the country's history to be convicted of a crime. He has also been barred from public office and fined $578,000 (£435,000).

His trial gripped the country, tarnishing the legacy of a politician credited by many for saving the country from becoming a failed state.