An Ecuadorian court on Friday handed down hefty prison sentences ranging from 12 years to 34 years for five people found guilty of murdering presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio.

The journalist and former legislator was fatally shot while leaving a rally in August 2023. This made him one of the most prominent victims of Ecuador's uncontrolled violence.

Six Colombian men were arrested hours after the shooting, but all of them were killed while in prison two months later. Another seven suspects were later arrested, one of whom died and another who was acquitted.

The remaining five went on trial.

The ruling can be appealed by both the prosecution and the defense. 

At least two of the five tried belonged to the Los Lobos crime gang — among 22 criminal gangs designated as terrorists by President Daniel Noboa in January.

According to the attorney general's office, Carlos Edwin Angulo Lara, also known as "El Invisible" or "the Invisible," gave the order to murder Villavicencio from prison, while Laura Dayanara Castillo was in charge of logistics. Both were sentenced to 34 years and eight months.

Others, Erick Ramirez, Victor Flores and Alexandra Chimbo were sentenced to 12 years.

mk/wd (Reuters, AFP)