Mar 21, 2010, 16:25 GMT
Bogota - A newspaper publisher known for his attacks on corruption and nepotism in Colombia has been shot dead, news reports said Saturday.
Clodomiro Castilla, 49, publisher of El Pulso del Tiempo newspaper was shot dead as he sat reading on his balcony in the city of Monteria, local newspaper Meridiano de Cordoba reported.
Castilla was known in the north-western region of the country for exposing the corruption scandals of local politicians, and had been arrested numerous times on drug and theft charges.
In the past year seven journalists have been murdered in Colombia, frequently in cases involving corrupt politicians, right-wing militias or left-wing rebels. Only rarely have murder cases been solved.
Castilla had received death threats in recent months, after having testified in court that officials from the conservative party of President Alvaro Uribe had contacts to right-wing death-squads.
The journalist had been given police protection, but it was withdrawn shortly before the shooting.
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