Hildebrando Pascoal, a former Brazilian federal representative, on Wednesday was sentenced to 18 years in prison for murdering a firefighter in 1997.

The Public Prosecution Office said Pascoal ordered the murder of Sebastiao Crispim, a member of the Fire Brigade in Acre state in the Amazon rainforest region, to prevent him from testifying against the representative in court.

On Monday, the first day of his trial, Pascoal wept and declared himself a political prisoner.

Pascoal was found guilty of homicide at another trial in March. He was charged with the murder of police officer Walter Ayala, for which he got 25 and a half years.

In September 1999, the former congressman had to leave the House of Representatives in handcuffs. His term as representative was ended following an impeachment process in the same year.

Investigations held by a congressional committee disclosed his involvement in drug trafficking and several murders in northern Brazil. The convict also led a death squad that was charged with assassinating 40 people in Acre.

At the time, Pascoal was sentenced to more than 60 years in jail following charges of murder, drug trafficking, electoral misconduct and other crimes.

Source: Xinhua