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.

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

In a courtroom ruling that stunned Colombia, a former president Alvaro Uribe has been sentenced to 12 years of house arrest. The charges? Witness tampering and bribery. Historic Judgment Shakes the Nation This marks the first time in Colombia’s modern history that a former head of state has received such a heavy legal punishment.