CAF General Secretary Veron Mosengo-Omba Under Investigation for Criminal Mismanagement

Veron Mosengo-Omba, General Secretary of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), is under investigation in Switzerland for suspected criminal mismanagement. The investigation, led by prosecutors in the canton of Fribourg, concerns financial transfers that Mosengo-Omba insists were legitimate.

According to reports from Swiss investigative news site Gotham City, the Fribourg public prosecutor had sought to transfer the case to the Swiss Office of the Attorney General, but a court ruled against this on September 13. The ruling only identified the subject as the general secretary of an organisation based in Egypt, later revealed to be Mosengo-Omba.

The Money Laundering Reporting Office Switzerland (MROS) alerted Fribourg prosecutors in February, stating that it had detected suspicious transactions. MROS noted that Mosengo-Omba received bonuses “much higher than the maximum set in his employment contract,” with all payments going into several Swiss accounts. No transfers were identified between his Swiss and Egyptian accounts, raising concerns about the traceability of the funds.

Furthermore, MROS identified cash withdrawals and personal transfers between Swiss accounts, which hindered efforts to track the funds’ use, leading to suspicions of criminal mismanagement.

Mosengo-Omba, a Congolese-Swiss dual national, defended the legitimacy of the payments, saying, “They were made in full transparency” and fully complied with CAF statutes. He emphasised that no criminal proceedings had been initiated and pledged to cooperate fully with the investigation.

“I have notified the Prosecutor of the Canton of Fribourg of my availability to answer any queries and provide him with any information he may require. I also contacted the banks to clarify eventual doubts that may have arisen,” he added.

This investigation comes amid CAF’s history of corruption scandals. In 2020, FIFA suspended CAF’s former president Ahmad Ahmad for financial misconduct. Mosengo-Omba has a long-standing connection with current FIFA president Gianni Infantino, both having studied law together at the University of Fribourg.

CAF, led by South African billionaire Patrice Motsepe, has faced intense scrutiny over its financial dealings. As the governing body of African football, CAF’s integrity is crucial to the sport’s development on the continent.

The outcome of this investigation will have significant implications for Mosengo-Omba’s future at CAF and the organisation’s reputation.