Tunisian court orders Jary's arrest

Wadie Jary of CAF during 2022 CAF African Nations Championship CAF 54 Meeting in Algiers, Algeria on 12 January 2023 © BackpagePix

by Staff Reporter

Friday Oct 27, 2023. 17:00

Tunisian Football Federation (FTF) president Wadie Jary has been arrested on suspicion of corruption and faces up to 10 years in prison.

Jary was taken into custody on Wednesday evening under order from a public prosecutor at the Tunis Court of First Instance following a complaint made by the Ministry of Youth and Sports.

The 51-year-old, who has headed the FTF since 2012, has been plagued by allegations of financial fraud for a number of years and the Minister of Youth and Sports, Kamel Deguiche, vowed to tackle the issue.

Ministry spokesman Chokri Hamda revealed that Jary’s arrest came about as a result of the unlawful contract he agreed with former FTF technical director Sghaier Zouita and received a much higher salary as a bonus.

“He must be appointed by decree and not by contract. The federation has not respected Tunisian law,” Hamda told IFM Radio.

Jary sits on the executive committee of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and is regarded as an ally of FIFA president Gianni Infantino.