Truth: When CAF keeps Cameroon soccer fans in suspense.

CAF had announced as early as August 2023, that it had opened investigation against Samuel Eto'o Fils, President of the Cameroon Football Federation, FECAFOOT.

An audio of a conversation between Eto'o and Valentine Nkwain, president of Victoria United, alias Opopo of Limbe, in which the FECAFOOT boss had promised to solve the club's problems posed by Nkwain.

Eto'o's lawyer, Antoine Vey, had argued forcefully that: “Mr Eto’o does not acknowledge having participated in a conversation in which he talked about match-fixing. If you listened to the audio, he tried to reassure the president of the club about some of the problems he was having. He had said it would be fixed. He didn’t say it was through illegal means or anything like that. We don't really see what the audio is for".

The lawyer added that the conversation "had little to do with the procedure and is only part of a campaign to damage Eto'o's reputation”.

“We believe that this investigation is based on nothing and that it was opened only to create negative publicity about Mr. Eto’o," Vey had added.

He further argued that: "We do not accept the way in which they [CAF] are acting. If you take the timeline, we don't understand why the hearing is happening now and why it didn't happen in August. We can also see that people are using this kind of procedural nonsense to create fake news about him [Eto’o]”.

The man of law, however, argued that it did not in any way imply that Eto'o wanted to use any criminal means to help Nkwain's club, which at the weekend emerged Champions of Elite One for the 2023/2024 season.

Eto'o is also accused of involvement in a soccer gambling company as its "Ambassador," which is said to be against FIFA and CAF laws.

Before last Wednesday’s hearing, Eto’o’s lawyer had reportedly filed a complaint with FIFA, alleging that Véron Mosengo-Omba, CAF Secretary General, opened the investigation to create “negative publicity” about his client.

Picking holes in the case, the lawyer also said the duration of the procedure had been violated, explaining that CAF regulations state that a period of six months was prescribed for such an investigation. But it is eight months, despite a plea for early hearing, the lawyer said.

The Disciplinary Committee meeting in Egypt, last Wednesday, preceded that of CAF Executive Committee in Rabat, Morocco on Friday, presided over by CAF President, Dr Patrice Motsepe.

The Executive Committee, among other issues, according to media reports, was expected to announce a verdict on the findings.

However, official information about the decision of the Disciplinary and Executive Committees has not been released, after their meetings. It has however fueled "leaked" reports, speculation and anxiety among Cameroonian soccer fans and stakeholders as the outcome could have far-reaching implications for football governance in the country.

Some of the speculations are already predicting that Eto'o was found guilty. 

However, the million-dollar question is why CAF should take that long to deliver its verdict, given that in the past, the Disciplinary Committee is known to have issued their decision immediately after hearing such cases.

They should know that "delay defeats equity" and Eto'o cannot operate effectively in serenity as FECAFOOT president with such unresolved accusations of match-fixing and involvement in gambling operations dangling over his head like a sword of Damocles.

Postscript: You don't have to agree with people to defend them from injustice - Lillian Hellman