A former top financial official in Equatorial Guinea, Baltasar Engonga, is facing an 18-year prison sentence following his court appearance in Malabo over serious corruption charges. The former Director General of the National Financial Investigation Agency (ANIF) has been in custody at the notorious Black Beach Prison since September 2024.
Engonga is at the center of a high-profile corruption trial involving multiple senior officials accused of diverting state funds for personal enrichment. The charges span his time as head of the Directorate General of Insurance and Reinsurance between 2015 and 2020, where prosecutors allege he orchestrated a complex scheme to siphon public money.
On Monday, state prosecutors presented a breakdown of the charges, recommending eight years in prison for embezzlement, four years and five months for illegal enrichment, and just over six years for abuse of office. In addition to the potential jail term, Engonga may face a hefty fine of more than 910 million CFA francs (about $1.5 million) and a ban from holding public office during his sentence.
Engonga, a 54-year-old economist, is being tried alongside other former high-ranking government figures, including Carmelo Julio Matogo Ndong, Ireneo Mangue Monsuy Afana, and Florentina Iganga Iñandji. Authorities have described the case as part of a broader crackdown on what they call a deeply rooted network of financial corruption.
However, the scandal has drawn even more public attention due to a shocking twist: the discovery of over 400 explicit videos allegedly recorded by Engonga. During an unannounced search of his home and office, investigators reportedly found numerous CDs containing intimate footage involving wives of high-profile officials and political elites.
The videos, allegedly filmed with consent, reportedly include encounters with relatives of the president, the wife of the national police chief, ministers’ spouses, and even members of Engonga’s own family. The revelations have ignited a major scandal in the country, with some footage reportedly leaking online and causing widespread public outrage.
While the charges filed in court focus strictly on financial crimes, the surfacing of the sex tapes has overshadowed the legal proceedings, raising questions about abuse of power and the exploitation of political privilege.
The trial is expected to last several days, with defence teams now presenting their arguments. The outcome is being closely watched both within Equatorial Guinea and across the region, as it could mark a rare moment of accountability in one of Africa’s most secretive governments.
