Jean-Guy Blaise Mayolas, the president of the Congolese Football Federation, has been sentenced to life in prison after being found guilty in a major corruption case involving football development funds.
A criminal court in Brazzaville delivered the verdict on Tuesday, convicting Mayolas of several offences, including money laundering, embezzlement, and forgery.
Prosecutors said the football official masterminded a scheme that diverted about $1.3 million provided by FIFA for football development projects. The funds were meant to support women’s football programmes and help the sport recover during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Investigators revealed that a $500,000 grant from FIFA’s COVID-19 relief programme, which was intended to assist women’s football initiatives and improve infrastructure, was instead channelled through fraudulent transactions and falsified documents for personal benefit.
Mayolas did not appear in court when the ruling was delivered and was sentenced in absentia. Authorities say his current whereabouts are unknown, and he is now considered a fugitive.
The court also punished members of his family and associates linked to the scheme. Mayolas’ wife and son were both handed life sentences after being found guilty of participating in the misappropriation of funds. Meanwhile, FECOFOOT General Secretary Badji Mombo Wantete and the federation’s treasurer Raoul Kanda were each sentenced to five years in prison for their roles in the financial misconduct.
