Burned documents and fresh suspicions at CAF
For several months, Véron Mosengo-Omba, secretary general of the Confederation of African Football, has been at the centre of controversy
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The saga surrounding Véron Mosengo-Omba, secretary general of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), is taking on the feel of a crime thriller. Between fraud investigations, explosive meetings and, above all, a strange story of documents burned in the open countryside, the man who runs African football's administration is at the eye of the storm. And the grey areas are growing.
A string of troubling investigations
In February 2024, a Swiss investigation was opened against Véron Mosengo-Omba over suspected disloyal management, fraud and falsification of documents. The allegations, reported by several media outlets, point to suspicious payments made through Swiss bank accounts. At the same time, CAF's audit and compliance committee requested his suspension, citing serious allegations of mismanagement and inappropriate conduct. A stormy CAF executive committee meeting in 2023 also revealed internal tensions, with a complaint lodged against Mosengo-Omba, deepening doubts over his management.
Read also: Swiss investigation into Véron Mosengo-Omba: a case dismissal that comes as a relief to CAF
However, in January 2025, the Swiss judiciary dropped the case, finding that there was "no fact or legal basis " to continue the investigation. The outcome, welcomed by CAF as a victory for its secretary general, has not been enough to calm suspicions, notably because of another scandal: the destruction of sensitive documents.
Documents burned in secret: a suspicious move
In videos and photos seen by Sport News Africa, boxes containing CAF-stamped documents, including confidential files relating in particular to the executive committee meeting of 27 September 2023 on the award of AFCON 2027 (granted to Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania), were taken out of the governing body's headquarters in Cairo to be burned on a hill in the suburbs. The operation, which according to journalist Richard Naha was orchestrated by Véron Mosengo-Omba himself, raises serious questions. "He sent people to go and burn documents", says Naha, adding that "the administration is covering for the secretary general ".
This raises a question: why resort to such a clandestine and unusual method when CAF has the means to destroy documents securely in-house? The question is now stirring the body, where members have learned of the facts. The move, which looks like an attempt at concealment, runs counter to the standards expected of an organisation that preaches transparency. The destroyed documents, notably those linked to the award of AFCON 2027, could contain sensitive information about decision-making or financial processes, feeding suspicions of a cover-up of irregularities. It does nothing to help the image of an organisation accused of numerous failings.
A climate of lingering distrust
Despite the case being dropped by the Swiss judiciary, the burned documents episode revives doubts over CAF's governance under Mosengo-Omba. The internal investigations, although officially closed, exposed shortcomings in the body's transparency and management. This latest episode comes at a time when CAF has major events to deliver, such as AFCON 2025 in Morocco and AFCON 2027, co-hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. The organisation's credibility, already weakened by recurring accusations of poor governance, risks being shaken even further if these grey areas are not cleared up quickly.