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Audi alteram partem is a Latin phrase meaning “listen to the other side” FECOFA President Constant Omari Selemani has finally broken his silence three days after he was incarcerated in the DR Congo on allegations of corruption.

The CAF 2nd Vice President who also doubles up as FIFA Council member  was  held at the public prosecutor’s office in Kinshasa. A statement from the office of Luzolo Bambi, a special adviser to Congo President Joseph Kabila, said  the four officials were   questioned on suspicion of embezzlement.

Speaking exclusively to www.soka25east.com Omari thanked the government for the speedy resolution to the impasse seeking to debunk the narrative that he was corrupt as he pointed an accusing finger at Sports minister Papy Nyango whom he accused of witch-hunt and vendetta against him.

” I first want to thank the justice department for the  quick resolution to the falsehood and malice spread against me that led to my unwarranted arrest with some of my colleagues.Its unfortunate that some people are using lies,falsehood and jealousy to try and intimidate me for no reasons”.

“The Sports Minister is the person  who instigated my arrest using framed up charges as he tried  to use his office to silence me and humiliate me without any proof.Its absolutely shameful that  he is  bringing up the false accusations  trying to cause panic by casting aspersions about me to my colleagues both at CAF and FIFA so as to soil my name just because he is  jealous of my achievements in football and the reputation i have painfully build across the World” Constant Omari told soka25east.com

“If at all i was corrupt and was on the wrong then why was i released without any charges levelled against me?Its clear that the prosecutor’s  office found no mistake nor any proof  and that the accusations were fabricated because some people have hidden agenda and vendetta against me and my colleagues” Constant Omari added during the telephone interview.

The 60-year-old Omari was elected to the FIFA Council in 2015, one of seven Africans on the 37-member board headed by FIFA President Gianni Infantino. Already a member of CAF’s executive committee, he was promoted to become one of two vice-presidents of the African confederation last year upon President Ahmad election as CAF President in 2017.

In retaliation to the arrest the Congolese league suspended all games until further notice  in a show of “solidarity” with Omari and the two other federation officials. The league said they had been “humiliated and unjustly deprived of their liberty.”

 

 

Ex- CAF Media Expert. An expert on African football with over 15 years experience ,always with an ear to the ground with indepth knowledge of the game. I have worked for top publications including 7 years at www.supersport.com until i founded www.soka25east.com to quench the thirst of football lovers across the continent. I have trained young upcoming journalists who are now a voice in African football.I have covered World Cup,AFCON,CHAN,Champions League,Confederations Cup,Cecafa,Cosafa,Wafu and many other football tournaments across the World. Founder Football Africa Arena(FAA),Founder www.afrisportdigital.com

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