Cameroonian football legend, Samuel Eto’o has been under fire since his conviction in Spain for tax evasion. According to Lawyer Christian Ntimbane Bomo , the football star should no longer be at the head of Cameroon Football Federation (Fecafoot), in accordance with the texts of the institution.



According to Christian Ntimbane Bomo, lawyer at the bar in Cameroon, the former Barcelona striker, Samuel Eto’o must resign, following his conviction in Spain for tax fraud.

He notified it in a publication on his Facebook page on Saturday, July 09, 2022.

“Mr. Samuel Eto’o must no longer act as president of Fecafoot in accordance with the texts of Fecafoot. Any act he has taken since his sentence to 22 months in prison is null and void. Foreign criminal sentences produce their effects in Cameroon in accordance with article 14 of the penal code,” he explained.

“I am not asking Mr. Samuel Eto’o to resign as some have told me, I am saying that in accordance with the texts of Fecafoot, he is no longer president of Fecafoot. His continuation of the exercise of this function while the vacancy is by right an assault, an abuse”.


Foreign criminal sentences are recognized in Cameroon




The lawyer continues his explanations by claiming that the conviction has not been called into question. “I clearly specify the execution of the sentence which has been arranged. The decision itself was not challenged. The criminal conviction became final because he compromised. Because penal settlements in law acquire the authority of res judicata. In addition, the debate on the application of this decision in Cameroon is of no interest, even if I had to recall for the culture of some that even in Cameroon, foreign criminal sentences are recognized in accordance with article 14 of our Cameroonian Penal Code,” he said.

“In the present case, the sentence of a firm prison sentence, without suspension of 22 months, was pronounced by the Spanish justice against Samuel Eto’o. There is indeed a custodial sentence. 22 months in prison is 22 months in prison,” he concluded.


Moreover, according to the Ivorian media Afrique sur 7, Guibaï Gatama, member of the Executive Committee of Fecafoot invites Céline Eko, the First Vice-President to take over as interim, while the file is not yet cleared.

“While waiting for the law to be said on the current procedure concerning the illegality of the vice-presidents of the Executive Committee in office, which I am contesting before the Conciliation and Arbitration Chamber of the CNOSC, I have the honor to ask you, as de facto first vice-president, to please take over and assume the functions of interim president of Fecafoot from now on, due to the vacancy resulting from the above-mentioned conviction”, wrote Guibaï Gatam.

Source: News agencies