A Colombian court on Monday found Alvaro Uribe guilty of witness tampering, making him the South American country's first ex-president to be convicted of a crime.

The 73-year-old -- who led Colombia from 2002 to 2010 -- was found guilty of asking right-wing paramilitaries to lie about their alleged links to him.

As the judge started reading out her verdict Monday, Uribe -- who attended the trial virtually -- sat shaking his head.

The still-powerful ex-president is expected to hear his sentence on Friday. He risks 12 years in prison.

The judgement brought rapid condemnation from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who decried "the weaponization of Colombia's judicial branch by radical judges."

A law-and-order hardliner, Uribe was a close ally of the United States and retains close ties

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