The Confederation of African Football (CAF) Secretary General, Véron Mosengo-Omba, is facing calls for suspension following a damning report by the CAF Audit and Compliance Committee. The report, obtained by Sport News Africa, recommends Mosengo-Omba’s suspension, along with several members of the CAF secretariat, due to serious financial and governance irregularities.
Covering the period from July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024, the report reveals unauthorized interference and financial mismanagement within CAF’s administration.
It also implicates the Vice-President of the CAF Audit and Compliance Committee, who is accused of improperly supporting Mosengo-Omba, and other officials, including the CAF Director of Legal Affairs and an external consultant, who allegedly attempted to manipulate the committee’s decision-making process.
One of the key issues highlighted by the committee is the contract of the external consultant.
The contract was signed on August 16, 2024, and countersigned by both Mosengo-Omba and CAF’s Financial Director two days earlier.
The Audit and Compliance Committee expressed concerns over the consultant’s influence on the audit process, particularly after a September 7 meeting, where her report contradicted a previous internal audit—known as the “GRC Report”—which flagged multiple governance failings within the CAF secretariat.
The GRC Report, prepared by the CAF Governance, Risk, and Compliance Manager, Hannan Sur, included allegations of dysfunction and irregularities in the internal control systems at CAF.
Despite these serious concerns, the consultant’s findings dismissed the claims, leading to skepticism from the Audit and Compliance Committee.
Further adding to the controversy, the committee unanimously rejected CAF’s financial statements for the year ending June 30, 2023, and the related audit report.
According to the committee, there were five main reasons for this rejection. First, the financial statements covered a period prior to the current committee’s tenure, making it difficult to verify the opening balances.
Additionally, the documents were delivered to the committee just three days before its meeting on September 7, leaving inadequate time for a thorough review.
The committee also noted that the external auditor’s report lacked key assessments, such as a review of CAF’s internal controls.
Moreover, the auditor was reportedly unaware of an ongoing independent investigation into potential financial mismanagement related to the “FIFA Forward” subsidies, which amounted to $30.4 million in the financial year.
The committee questioned whether this investigation might reveal significant discrepancies that could alter the auditor’s conclusions.
A final concern raised by the committee involved a reversal of a provision deemed “no longer required,” amounting to $25 million.
The external auditor’s explanation for this adjustment was deemed unconvincing, further fuelling doubts about the financial integrity of CAF’s operations.
As a result of these findings, the Audit and Compliance Committee is pushing for swift action, recommending the suspension of Véron Mosengo-Omba and other implicated members of the secretariat.
Despite efforts to withhold key documents and influence the audit process, it appears increasingly likely that Mosengo-Omba’s tenure as CAF Secretary General may soon come to an end, along with the positions of several other officials involved in the controversy.
