A former Colombian army captain has been sentenced by a judge to 20 years in prison for his role in the 2005 killings of eight people, including three children, in Antioquia and Cordoba provinces, authorities said.

Retired Capt. Guillermo Armando Gordillo Ssnchez pleaded guilty to homicide, criminal conspiracy and other charges, the Attorney General's Office said.

The investigation into the murders was launched after two adults and a child were killed in San Jose de Apartado, a village in the northwestern province of Antioquia, and three other adults and two children were killed in Tierra Alta, a village in the northern province of Cordoba.

'Based on what has been established, members of the Heroes de Tolova Bloc of the self-defense forces (militia groups) committed the crimes cited, while serving as guides for regular troops carrying out' a military operation, the AG's office said.

Former militiamen Huber Dario Yanez, known as 'Comandante 21', Joel Jose Vargas Florez and Jorge Luis Salgado David also reached plea agreements with prosecutors in the case.

Ten other soldiers are being tried for the killings.

--IANS/EFE

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