ONASPORT Director General Caught on Video Brandishing Weapon During Audit

Hervé Séverin Lidamon brandit une Kalachnikov dans les locaux de l'ONASPORT à Bangui pour fuir un audit et préserver ses privilèges.
Photo via Corbeaunews-centrafrique

Hervé Séverin Lidamon, the Director General of the Office National des Sports (ONASPORT), was captured on video arriving at his office building while brandishing a Kalachnikov assault rifle. The footage shows the official exiting a vehicle and carrying the weapon into the Bangui headquarters of the organisation. This incident occurred during an audit of ONASPORT in the République centrafricaine. The video records the Director General moving directly from his transport into the facility while holding the firearm.

The visual evidence documenting the arrival of Hervé Séverin Lidamon at the ONASPORT premises has become a central element in the ongoing scrutiny of the institution. As the Director General, Hervé Séverin Lidamon holds the primary administrative responsibility for the operations of the Office National des Sports. The footage depicts the moment he steps out of his transport, clearly visible with the Kalachnikov assault rifle, before proceeding to walk into the structure. This action took place within the context of the operational environment in Bangui, where the headquarters of the Office National des Sports is located.

Audit Mission Sparks Tensions

An inspection mission was formally announced on 26 October 2026 to audit the management of ONASPORT. This administrative review follows a series of internal concerns regarding the institution's operations in Bangui. The arrival of the inspection team was intended to provide a full evaluation of the current management practices employed at the Office National des Sports.

Hervé Séverin Lidamon has been officially at the end of his term since September 2026. Despite the expiration of his tenure, he has remained in his position as Director General of the organization. The timeline of his leadership, which reached its formal conclusion in September 2026, has been a subject of note as the institution undergoes this period of administrative transition and oversight.

Tensions have escalated between the Director General and his supervising minister, Héritier Doneng. According to reports, Hervé Séverin Lidamon is currently engaged in an open conflict with Héritier Doneng regarding the management of the institution. This administrative friction persists as auditors initiate their assessment of the office. The relationship between Hervé Séverin Lidamon and Héritier Doneng has been characterized by this ongoing disagreement concerning the direction and governance of the Office National des Sports.

The presence of the inspection mission, which was officially announced on 26 October 2026, marks a significant development in the oversight of ONASPORT. As auditors work to fulfill the mandate of the inspection mission, the actions of the leadership, including the conduct of Hervé Séverin Lidamon, remain under close observation. The conflict between the Director General and Héritier Doneng continues to influence the atmosphere at the headquarters in Bangui, even as the formal review of the institution's management proceeds. The documentation of the events involving the Kalachnikov assault rifle provides a specific visual record that is now part of the broader administrative inquiry into the current state of affairs at the Office National des Sports.