Congo FA president sentenced to life imprisonment over $1.3m corruption scandal

Source: Citi Sports

The president of the Congolese Football Federation, Jean-Guy Blaise Mayolas, has been sentenced to life imprisonment after being found guilty in a major corruption case that has rocked football administration in the country.

A court delivered the ruling on Tuesday following months of investigations into alleged financial misconduct within the federation.

Mayolas was convicted of several offences, including money laundering, embezzlement and forgery. He did not appear in court for the hearing and was therefore sentenced in absentia. The court also handed life sentences to his wife and son, who were implicated in the case.Prosecutors said the case centred on the alleged misappropriation of funds allocated to the federation by FIFA.

According to documents presented during the trial, Mayolas was accused of diverting nearly $1.3 million that was intended for football development programmes in the country.

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The case also implicated other senior officials within FECOFOOT. The federation’s general secretary, Badji Mombo Wantete, and its treasurer, Raoul Kanda, were each sentenced to five years in prison after being found guilty of their involvement in the financial irregularities.Badji Mombo Wantete and Raoul Kanda

Authorities said the verdict followed eight months of investigations, during which prosecutors examined financial documents, banking records and internal administrative procedures within the federation.

The ruling represents one of the most significant legal actions taken against a football administrator in the country and is expected to have major implications for the governance of the sport.Meanwhile, The DR Congo national football team is scheduled to play their final 2026 FIFA World Cup inter-confederation playoff match on Tuesday, March 31, 2026 at the Akron Stadium in Zapopan, Mexico to potentially book a spot in the 2026 world Cup

With the court proceedings now concluded, attention is expected to turn to possible reforms within the federation and efforts to restore credibility to football governance in the country.

MLS bans Ghanaian duo for betting offences

Major League Soccer has given lifetime bans to midfielder Derrick Jones and winger Yaw Yeboah for betting offences.

Yeboah, 28, signed for Chinese Super League side Qingdao Hainiu last month after his contract with Los Angeles FC was terminated in January.

Jones, 29, was released from his contract by Columbus Crew last November.

A statement from MLS said that the players were found to have “engaged in extensive gambling on soccer, including on their own teams” during the 2024 and 2025 seasons.

MLS noted that on one occasion both players placed bets on Jones receiving a yellow card – which then happened – in a match for Columbus Crew against New York Red Bulls on 19 October 2024.

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“MLS also determined that the players likely shared confidential information with other bettors about their intent to draw yellow cards,” added the statement from the league.

“No evidence was identified that suggested any of these betting activities affected the outcome of a match.”

Yeboah, who has been capped by Ghana, was at Manchester City from 2014 to 2018 but did not make a first-team appearance and had loan spells at Lille, Twente and Oviedo.

He then played for Spanish side Numancia and Polish team Wisła Krakow before spells at Columbus Crew and LAFC.

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Jones was capped by the USA at under-20 and under-23 level.

Bagbin swears in Baba Jamal as MP for Ayawaso East

Story: News Desk 

The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has sworn in Mohammed Baba Jamal Ahmed as the Member of Parliament (MP)  for Ayawaso East.

The brief ceremony took place in the chamber of the Parliament of Ghana on Tuesday, March 10, 2026.

During the ceremony, Mr. Baba Jamal took the oath of office and the oath of allegiance administered by the Speaker, formally assuming his role as the representative of the Ayawaso East Constituency in Parliament.

After administering the oath, Bagbin cautioned the new lawmaker to remain focused on serving his constituents and the nation.

“During your campaign, you promised the people of Ayawaso East that you wanted to serve them as a Member of Parliament, and by doing so, serve Ghana. You don’t want to serve Ghana as a High Commissioner in Nigeria,” the Speaker said.

“I took note of those statements, and I am going to hold you, as my son, accountable to the good people of Ayawaso East. Serving them, you must. So I will focus on you on this floor to see how you perform in serving them,” he added.

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