Cameroon Football Federation president Samuel Eto’o is facing a new legal challenge after the Association of Amateur Football Clubs of Cameroon (ACFAC) filed a complaint against him at the country’s Special Criminal Court.
The complaint, lodged in Yaoundé, concerns the reported management of €567,570 (£491,000) linked to a friendly match between Cameroon and Russia played in October 2023.
ACFAC, led by Abdouraman Hamadou Baba, is asking the court to investigate the handling of funds connected to that match and other international friendlies involving the Indomitable Lions.
The case moves the dispute beyond press reports and into a formal judicial process, although no wrongdoing by Eto’o has been established.
Documents reported by The Times indicate that two payments – €455,056 and €112,514 – were made into an account in Eto’o’s name at Qatar National Bank in Doha.
Together, the payments amounted to €567,570, which was reportedly money intended for the Cameroonian federation, Fecafoot.
Those close to Eto’o have explained the use of the account by pointing to banking difficulties associated with international sanctions against Russia.
ACFAC says its complaint is not limited to the Russia fixture. The association has also raised concerns about the financial management of four international friendly matches involving Cameroon.
These include games against Uzbekistan, South Korea, Mexico and Russia.
Abdouraman Hamadou Baba said the association had provided the Special Criminal Court with documentation relating to the matches, including contracts and records concerning funds requested from the state for the national team.
“We followed the normal procedure. For us, it was about requesting the opening of an investigation into a number of matters, particularly the management of the four international friendly matches played by the Indomitable Lions.
“We have the matches Cameroon – Uzbekistan, Cameroon – South Korea, Cameroon – Mexico, and Cameroon – Russia. We believe there have been financial irregularities that may have been committed. And so we have made available to the Tribunal a number of documents, including the contracts for all these matches, as well as documents relating to the Federation’s requests concerning the funds that the State had to provide to the Indomitable Lions for these same matches.”
The federation has rejected the allegations, describing the wider campaign against it as one of “defamation” and “slander”.
Eto’o had also publicly responded to the original accusations made in the European media.
The latest complaint gives Cameroonian authorities the opportunity to examine the circumstances surrounding the movement and use of the funds.
