Senegal’s Cheikh Mbengue held in civil status fraud investigation
Authorities opened a civil status fraud investigation after officials uncovered irregularities in several birth certificates linked to a football training centre run by former Senegal international Cheikh Mbengue.
The Urban Security unit launched the inquiry when the File Automation Directorate reported concerns over five birth certificates issued in Marsassoum for players enrolled at United Academy in Thiès.
The documents raised enough suspicion for police to summon those responsible for clarification.
Cheikh Mbengue, who previously represented Senegal and played for Saint-Étienne, now leads the academy.
Officers placed him in custody as part of the investigation. According to the newspaper Libération, police requested his presence “for investigative purposes” to determine how the disputed documents entered official circulation.
Mbengue insisted that he does not handle the academy’s administrative work and shifted responsibility to the institution’s director.
He explained that he focuses on the sporting side of the organisation and that staff members manage all paperwork related to player registration and identification.
Libération reported that investigators want to understand the chain of responsibility inside the academy and identify who authorised the processing and submission of the questionable certificates.
Police officers questioned several individuals to establish whether mistakes, negligence, or deliberate falsification triggered the problem.
The report also noted that officers placed three additional academy staff members in custody.
Investigators continued to analyse the documents and question those involved to determine how the discrepancies emerged and whether anyone attempted to manipulate the ages of academy players.
Authorities have not issued further details, and the investigation remains active as the Urban Security unit gathers statements and examines administrative procedures inside the academy.
