DR Congo FA boss and CAF Vice President Constant Omari arrested for corruption

The president of the DR Congo Football Association (Fecofa) Constant Omari was detained on Tuesday in an embezzlement probe.

Omari, who is also a Fifa Council member and a vice-president with the Confederation of African Football (CAF), is being held along with sports ministry secretary-general Barthelemy Okito and two Fecofa vice-presidents, Roger Bondembe and Theobad Binamungu.

The four were arrested on Tuesday night on the orders of Luzolo Bambi, DR Congo’s President Joseph Kabila’s special adviser on corruption.

Embezzlement

According to information by Reuters, the quartet are being questioned over $1 million that was requested from the country’s sports ministry to pay for matches involving the DR Congo national side and club teams competing in continental competitions.

‘They were questioned by the Office of Special Adviser to the Head of State in the fight against corruption, Luzolo Bambi,’ a statement by the Ligue Nationale de Football (Linafoot) stated.

‘According to a statement issued Tuesday by Mr Bambi’s office, those arrested are suspected of misappropriation of funds intended for the DRC football teams.’

Following the arrest, the organizers of the Linafoot have suspended all activities until further notice.

‘Following these events Linafoot has suspended its championship,’ Linafoot concluded.

(https://twitter.com/Kenyafootball/status/986592107413590016)

The 60-year-old Omari was elected to the Fifa Council in 2015 as one of the seven Africans on the 37-member board headed by president Gianni Infantino.