Who shot pablo escobar

Luis Carlos Galan had been tipped to win the 1990 election

A Colombian court has convicted a former justice minister for his role in the assassination of presidential candidate Luis Carlos Galan in 1989.

Alberto Santofimio was sentenced to 24 years in prison for ordering a hit squad belonging to late drug baron Pablo Escobar to kill Mr Galan.

Santofimio was also standing for election and was an associate of Escobar, who was facing US extradition.

His trial was one of the most watched in Colombia in decades.

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It involved the testimony of three former presidents and a former television diva who was Escobar's lover, as well as the head of Escobar's assassins, John Jairo Velasquez.

Santofimio (centre) was arrested for taking drug money in 1995

Juan Manuel Galan, son of the dead man, told the Associated Press news agency that the verdict had reaffirmed people's belief in the justice system.

Mr Galan, who was the Liberal Party candidate, had campaigned ag