Baltasar Engonga, the former Director-General of Equatorial Guinea’s National Financial Investigation Agency (ANIF), has been remanded in custody at Malabo’s Black Beach Prison after shocking revelations linked him to a scandal involving the recording of explicit videos with the spouses of prominent figures. Engonga’s detention follows an unanticipated investigation that unearthed over 400 illicit recordings, sparking widespread outrage and intense media attention across the country.
The scandal surfaced amid an ongoing fraud investigation into Engonga, a 54-year-old economist. According to reports, authorities from ANIF conducted a surprise search of Engonga’s residence and office, where they reportedly discovered numerous CDs containing recordings of private encounters. The PUNCH reported that the material’s discovery has caused a media firestorm, further fueled by the videos’ circulation online.
In response to the controversy, President Obiang Nguema Mbasogo issued Decree No. 118/2024, dated November 4, dismissing Engonga from his role. The decree cited “irregularities committed in the exercise of his functions, as well as inappropriate family and social conduct incompatible with public service duties,” as grounds for the dismissal.
Engonga’s public humiliation continued when a widely circulated video on Friday showed him in court, handcuffed and shackled, appearing visibly distressed. According to French news outlet Afrikmatin, he was officially stripped of his duties on November 6, 2024, and subsequently transferred to Malabo Central Prison, facing charges of corruption and embezzlement.
Online platform UGStandard reported that, while Engonga was already under investigation at Black Beach Prison for alleged misappropriation of public funds, the release of the sex tapes intensified the scrutiny against him. State broadcaster TVGE corroborated the charges of financial misconduct, further compounding the fallout from the scandal.
Fact-checking organization Dubawa confirmed Engonga’s detention on corruption-related charges, verifying that he remains in custody at Black Beach Prison as authorities delve deeper into both the alleged financial and personal misconduct that led to his downfall. The scandal has left Equatorial Guinea’s public and political circles reeling as questions mount about the extent of Engonga’s influence and the damage left in his wake.
