Former Colombian President Álvaro Uribe was sentenced Friday to 12 years of house arrest for witness tampering and bribery in a historic case that gripped the South American nation and tarnished the conservative strongman's legacy.

The sentence, which Uribe said will be appealed, followed a nearly six-month trial in which prosecutors presented evidence that he attempted to influence witnesses who accused the law-and-order leader of having links to a paramilitary group in the 1990s.

"Politics prevailed over the law in sentencing," Uribe said after Friday's hearing.

Uribe, 73, has denied any wrongdoing. He faced up to 12 years in prison after being convicted Monday.

His attorney had asked the court to allow Uribe to remain free while he appeals the verdict. Judge Sandra Heredia on F

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