Omari, also a vice-president of the Confederation of African Football, is accused of embezzling money given to FECOFA by the Government.

The 60-year-old has been taken into custody along with three other officials - Sports Ministry secretary-general Barthelemy Okito and two FECOFA vice-presidents, Roger Bondembe and Theobad Binamungu.

According to the investigating magistrate, the four are being held in a public prosecutor’s office over claims they siphoned funds meant for the DR Congo national team and clubs in the country.

Luzolo Bambi, DR Congo President Joseph Kabila's special adviser on corruption, reportedly ordered the arrest of the four officials.

Alain Makengo, the lawyer for the quarter, has told Agence France-Presse that the embezzlement relates to $1 million (£702,000/€807,000) earmarked for four matches in the nation.

The top division in DR Congo, Linafoot, announced it was suspended until further notice in a show of solidarity to the arrested football officials.

In a statement, the league said the four had been "humiliated and deprived of their liberty".

Omari, elected onto the FIFA Council in 2015, served as member of the reform taskforce, established following the widespread corruption scandal within world football's governing body.

He was an outspoken critic of media coverage of the scandal, which saw vast swathes of executives arrested and indicted in the United States.

Omari labelled British media as "racist" after reports that African football officials had received cash gifts.

He also chaired the anti-racism taskforce, controversially disbanded in 2016.

"Following the arrest of FIFA Council member and CAF vice-president Constant Omari along with the FECOFA two vice-presidents by the authorities in DRC, FIFA is closely following the matter and gathering additional information but has no further statement to make at this stage," a FIFA spokesperson said.

"More information could be released as the situation unfolds."