DR Congo FA president Mayolas found guilty, sentenced to life
DR Congo FA president Mayolas found guilty, sentenced to life
A court in Brazzaville sentenced Jean-Guy Blaise Mayolas, the President of the Congolese Football Federation (FECOFOOT), to life imprisonment on Tuesday.
Following an exhaustive eight-month investigation into systemic financial misconduct, Mayolas was found guilty of money laundering, embezzlement, forgery, and the use of forged documents.
According to reports, the court delivered the severe verdict in his absence, as the disgraced official remains at large.
Findings reveal that the investigation uncovered a large-scale scheme involving the misappropriation of about $1.3 million in FIFA funds, much of which had been earmarked for the development of women’s football and infrastructure projects during the COVID-19 pandemic.
🚨‼️BREAKING! The president of the Congolese Football Federation (FECOFOOT) has been sentenced to life imprisonment! 😱🇨🇬
Jean-Guy Blaise Mayolas has been condemned to spend the rest of his life in prison for charges including money laundering, forgery, illegal conflict of… pic.twitter.com/ydRgeUE89D
— Jasper Ziggle 🥷🇬🇭 🇺🇸 (@JasperZiggle) March 10, 2026
The scale of the corruption extended to Mayolas’s immediate family, with both his wife and son also receiving life sentences for their roles in the fraudulent network.
The judicial crackdown reached deep into the federation’s executive branch, resulting in prison terms for other high-ranking officials.
Secretary General Badji Mombo Wantete and Treasurer Raoul Kanda were both sentenced to five years behind bars for their involvement in the criminal activities.
This sentencing marks a dramatic conclusion to a period of intense scrutiny for FECOFOOT, which had previously faced international sanctions and a FIFA suspension due to governance failures.
With the federation’s top leadership now convicted, the ruling is seen as a decisive attempt to purge the “beautiful game” in the country of chronic financial mismanagement.
Is corruption in football governance a global issue or more severe in Africa?
