Samuel Eto’o, president of the Cameroon Football Federation (Fecafoot), is facing serious allegations following the filing of a formal complaint by former Executive Committee member Guibai Gatama.
The complaint, lodged on Monday, accuses the former football star of “corruption, embezzlement and complicity in embezzlement.”
At the centre of the controversy is a €455,000 payment made by the Russian Football Federation (RFU) to an account reportedly belonging to Eto’o.
The sum is linked to the organisation of an international friendly played between Cameroon and Russia in October 2023, which ended in a 1-0 defeat for the Indomitable Lions.
The transaction has triggered significant scrutiny within Cameroonian football circles, raising questions about governance and financial transparency at the federation.
Gatama, a long-time critic of Eto’o’s leadership, claims the transfer was not only unethical but also illegal.
Two former senior Fecafoot officials—Benoît Angbwa, the ex-general coordinator of national teams, and Blaise Djounang, the former secretary general—are also named in the complaint.
Djounang is said to have signed off on the contract that enabled the payment, while Angbwa allegedly played a supporting role.
Eto’o’s camp has defended the payment, arguing that the decision to route funds through his personal account was a strategic workaround to bypass international banking restrictions placed on Russian institutions due to global sanctions.
They maintain that the funds were intended for federation use, not for personal gain.
However, this justification has failed to appease critics.
“It is unacceptable that funds belonging to the Federation are held in a personal account, even that of its president,” Gatama declared in his statement. “Fecafoot is a shared asset, and cannot be equated with the property of an individual or a group.”
🔴 Guibal Gatama, ancien membre du comité exécutif de la FECAFOOT, annonce avoir déposé une plainte contre Samuel Eto’o, Benoit Angbwa et Blaise Djounang pour corruption et détournement de fonds en marge du match amical contre la Russie :
« Ce jour, 23 juin 2025, j’ai déposé une… pic.twitter.com/nJ990G3EYx
— AllezLesLions (@AllezLesLions) June 23, 2025
The complaint represents yet another chapter in the mounting tension surrounding Eto’o’s tenure as Fecafoot president.
His leadership, once seen as a potential game-changer for Cameroonian football, has been increasingly marred by internal disputes and administrative challenges.
As the federation braces for further investigation, this latest development threatens to deepen divisions within Fecafoot and cast a long shadow over Eto’o’s legacy—both on and off the pitch.
The case is expected to prompt formal inquiries from relevant authorities in the coming weeks.
