The head of Gabon‘s football federation (Fegafoot) is to spend at least 10 more days in prison after being questioned about the country’s sexual abuse scandal.
On April 22, Gabonese officials detained Pierre-Alain Mounguengui after he was taken in for interrogation.
Mounguengui is being held at Libreville’s major prison and has yet to react after being accused of covering up the affair.
Re-elected as Fegafoot president just 12 days ago, Mounguengui was placed on remand on Wednesday.
“Since the examining magistrate in charge of hearing Pierre-Alain Mounguengui regarding the matter of paedo-criminality dating back over 30 years in Gabonese football is on overseas duty, [Mounguengui] will learn his fate in 10 days.
“Through his wife, Mounguengui wanted to reassure his family and the national and international sporting community that he is doing well,” a Fegafoot statement read.
Since The Guardian, a British newspaper, published findings in December, Gabonese football has been rocked by suspicions of pervasive paedophilia within its society.
Gabon’s Sports Ministry warned in January that there could be “hundreds of alleged victims” of alleged sexual abuse of youngsters in the country by many accused criminals.
Five members of Gabon’s football community were previously detained after charges of raping and sexually abusing youngsters were brought against them.
Some, like Serge Mombo, the leader of Gabon’s premier league, who was imprisoned on the tarmac of Libreville’s international airport seconds after the national team returned from the Africa Cup of Nations in January, have subsequently been permitted to return home.
Meanwhile, Patrick Eyi – a former coach of Gabon’s Under-17 team widely known as ‘Capello’ – is still behind bars as he awaits trial. Eyi denies allegations he raped and sexually abused young footballers.
Fifa and Fegafoot initiated a joint investigation into the ‘Capello-gate’ issue in Gabon earlier this year, despite some criticizing the move to allow Fegafoot to examine itself as a conflict of interest.