For several months, Véron Mosengo-Omba, Secretary General of the Confederation of African Football, has been at the center of controversies that cast a shadow over the organization’s governance. Internal and external investigations, as well as a recent disturbing episode involving document destruction, are fueling suspicions of embezzlement and an attempted cover-up.

The saga surrounding Véron Mosengo-Omba, Secretary General of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), is taking on the feel of a thriller. Between fraud investigations, explosive meetings, and, most notably, a strange story involving documents burned in the wilderness, the administrative head of African football is in the eye of the storm. And the gray areas are deepening.

In February 2024, a Swiss investigation was opened against Véron Mosengo-Omba for suspicions of mismanagement, fraud, and document falsification. These allegations, relayed by several media outlets, point to suspicious payments made via Swiss bank accounts. At the same time, CAF’s Audit and Compliance Committee requested his suspension, citing serious accusations of mismanagement and inappropriate conduct. A heated CAF Executive Committee meeting in 2023 also revealed internal tensions, with a complaint filed against Mosengo-Omba, heightening doubts about his management.

Veron Mosengo, internally considered the “talent killer” and also the KING OF THE CONGO EMPIRE AT CAF. Here’s a look behind the scenes at a vicious battle within the African Football Confederation and the list of victims of the King of the Congo Empire at CAF:

Kennedy Makambira, former senior manager of the GS Office. (Zimbabwe / UK)

Kennedy Makambira came to CAF after several calls from Véron Mosengo. They had known each other for several years; they were together at UEFA. According to some sources, Véron Mosengo was fired from UEFA for incompetence because his comrade and friend Gianni Infantino, then UEFA’s legal director, had brought him with him at the time.

Kennedy Makambira was on sick leave for six months or more upon his return. Véron Mosengo wanted to get rid of him at all costs but didn’t know how to do it. Kennedy Makambira knew this, but he said: “As long as Véron Mosengo doesn’t sit down with me, one-on-one, and tell me, I’m not leaving.” He was the one who begged me to come, and now he doesn’t dare tell me. Kennedy Makambira was finally fired a few months later.

Abi Ijasanmi, former COO of CAF (Nigeria/UK), a lawyer with an accomplished career, was chosen by Véron to be the focal point for everything happening within CAF so that Véron could focus on external affairs. But after a few months and several refusals to act and use illicit methods to manage matters that do not comply with CAF regulations, Véron decided that she too must leave because she constantly contradicts him, simply because she follows the law. Véron just wanted a “yes, yes,” and she was fired .

Lee de la Torre, Head of Services (Swiss with Caribbean origins), was chosen in 2022 by Véron’s personal assistant, Sandra de la Torre, who worked at FIFA but also often worked at CAF, to conduct a study/investigation on CAF’s logistics and procedures and how to improve them.

Sandra de la Torre herself was fired by Motsepe Patrice for a sordid affair involving €70,000 concerning a CAF suit order for the members of the executive committee, made by mutual agreement with her former employer, an Italian designer. Lee de la Torre, hired to lead the improvement, repeatedly stated that employees travel far too much for absolutely nothing and take more money as compensation (a document exists stating that in six months, travel exceeded one million USD in flights alone!!).
Lee de la Torre was fired due to a conflict with Ms. Reem Adel, the HR director, because she sensed the danger in Lee de la Torre, who was changing everything and stealing her power, because in terms of power at CAF, she has a plethora of it.

Reem Adel, HR Director (Egypt), went from Manager to Human Resources Director without any explanation at the age of 34, promoted by the Secretary General. She is incompetent and has no experience. She is known for hiring only Egyptians on her team, who are automatically very loyal to her at CAF. She also helped Abi Ijasanmi leave because they both had problems.

Ermelinda Almeida, Véron’s executive assistant (Swiss and Cape Verdean). She grew up in the same village as Véron in Switzerland. She is the queen of CAF. She has the right to do everything: hire, fire, manage directors, and even the Head of the GS office (Cedrick Aghey).
She hired Cedrick Aghey, Awa Senghor, Alissone Oliveira, and Mohamed Abdalla, and she fired them all except Cedrick Aghey because he never dares to say NO because he knows very well what awaits him if he does. Despite the fact that all the people fired because of her, Véron Mosengo keeps her very close, she manages his entire life.

Mohamed Abdalla was fired by Veron Mosengo after complaining about Ermelinda Almeida to Veron Mosengo, who unfairly fired him.

Some employees have broken records in terms of attendance at CAF. A certain Awa only lasted three weeks, she resigned, Alissone two months, then was fired. Alexandre Siewé was fired after six months by Veron Mosengo, who accused him of working for Samuel Eto’o. Some internal sources say that Veron Mosengo had created a file for Samuel Eto’o containing all the written press releases on Samuel Eto’o, including audio clips with the Victoria United president, contained on a USB drive kept in a safe in Veron Mosengo’s office.

Luca Piazza, Gianni Infantino’s secret agent, who often came to CAF, then suddenly one day, Veron Mosengo sent an email to all CAF staff with the injunction: “No one is to speak to Luca Piazza during his stay here.”

Jean Jaques Dieng (transferred from the GS office to legal for an unknown reason and who ignores all work requests, but still not…fired)

Iman Saeed (moved from GS office to Guest management then fired recently)

At CAF, according to internal sources, “there are so many conflicts between departments, and the most important is between the General Manager’s Office and the President’s Office. They’re not allowed to speak to each other, to say hello, to ask for anything, and vice versa.” For example, the President’s Office never shared Motsepe’s arrival dates. It’s mission impossible to find out. Sometimes you have to call FIFA or the airport to get information on Patrice Motsepe’s arrival.

Gianni Infantino, decided to put his childhood friend Véron Mosengo, they have been friends since the University of Fribourg, “he told him you go there and I will help you with everything you want, you have a blank sheet, you take whoever you want from FIFA with you” Except that no one at FIFA wants to go, neither to Africa nor especially to work with Véron Mosengo, he asked and continues to ask everyone but no one wants to come, EXCEPT, a young Congolese-Swiss like him, Sarah Mukuna who like Reem Adel, jumped 5 or 6 positions from a small employee in finance at FIFA, to Director of member associations at CAF, at the age of 32 or 33 years old absolutely no experience, nothing at all she is a soldier of Veron Mosengo with Cedrick Aghey who promised that if a new secretary general was appointed to CAF, he will never have PEACE.

The Confederation of African Football is mired in management problems with an administration of Swiss cronies who have decided to take over African football. The administration has experienced several governance problems under the presidency of Patrice Motsepe. Questions have been raised regarding the management of CAF’s financial resources and the use of these resources for the development of African football.
The CAF elections have been criticized for their lack of transparency and democracy, raising concerns about the legitimacy of the president and the executive committee.
These governance problems have negative consequences for CAF and African football in general, particularly in terms of reputation and credibility.