Angry clubs in the DR Congo top-flight have voted to suspend the league in solidarity with the president of the federation Constant Omari who has been taken into custody as part of a probe into embezzlement.
Omari, who is one of the vice presidents of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), was arrested on Tuesday in an action that his supporters have described as ''politically motivated''.
His detention was confirmed on Wednesday by an investigating magistrate.
The towering figure, who is a member of the Fifa Council, is being held along with sports ministry secretary-general Barthelemy Okito and two Fecofa vice-presidents, Roger Bondembe and Theobad Binamungu.
Now the body representing clubs in the top-flight, LINAFOOT has announced that this weekend's 23 round of matches will not be played over the detention of the football officials.
A statement released by LINAFOOT confirmed their decision expressing their disappointment over the arrests.
The magistrate explained the four were "currently being heard" over the use of public funds in the organisation of matches in African competitions involving national sides as well as clubs.
The lawyer for the four men, Alain Makengo, told AFP they were being questioned over the embezzlement US $1m (800,000 euros) earmarked for four matches.
But supporters of Constant Omari say the action is politically motivated as he is a close friend to the exiled opposition figure Moise Katumbi.
The four officials held in pre-trial detention at the Kinshasa-Matete Public Prosecutor's Office are accused of a series of alleged misappropriations of public funds for the national football team.
Indeed, it was since early March that the files of these alleged perpetrators of these offenses were made available to the Attorney General at Matete Court of Appeal.
A ban on leaving the country was imposed on FECOFA President Constant Omari, Sports Secretary Barthélémy Okito, the Public Accountant assigned to the Ministry of Sports and the Deputy Credit Manager assigned to the Ministry of Sports.
One after the other, they were summoned by Luzolo Bambi Lessa to explain the management of funds allocated to the operation of the national football team, the Leopards.
The last defeat of the Leopards was on Tuesday, March 27, against Taifas Stars of Tanzania in a friendly which caused an uproar of outrage from fans of football.
To defend itself, the Congolese Football Association - FECOFA - accused the Minister of Sports of being behind this collapse for not having released the amount required to prepare this friendly meeting.
Minister Papy Niango on the other hand said the federation inflated the budget to nearly one millions dollars for two friendlies.
Four players of the national team pulled out of the friendlies citing the poor conditions for the match after the minister had withheld the budget.
Omari is a known figure in football for his closeness to exiled political figure and many are linking his arrest to the bid by reigning President Joseph Kabila to silent all those connected to opposition figures.
Kabila term has expired but he is still bidding to continue which has thrown DR Congo into turmoil.