400 women: Equatorial Guinea’s financial crime chief, Baltasar Engonga sent to prison

The Director General, National Financial Investigation Agency in Equatorial Guinea, Baltasar Engonga, has been remanded in custody at Malabo’s Black Beach Prison.

NaijaOnPoint.com.ng (NOP) recalls that Engonga’s arrest follows the discovery of over 400 explicit videos involving him with high-profile women across the country.

The scandal emerged in the course of a fraud investigation against the 54-year-old Economist, which resulted in the search of his house and office on impromptu notice by ANIF officials who came across several CDs that later revealed his sexcapades with different married women.

The leaked recordings said to have been consensually filmed, have sparked widespread public outrage and intense scrutiny of the government’s top anti-corruption official.

In response, President Obiang Nguema Mbasogo dismissed the 54 -year-old official from his position.

Following his dismissal, a video surfaced on social media on Friday capturing Engonga appearing in court, restrained with handcuffs on both his hands and feet.

French blog Afrikmatin confirmed that Engonga, officially relieved of his duties on November 6, 2024, was subsequently chained and transferred to Malabo Central Prison. He is facing charges related to corruption and embezzlement.

Furthermore, UGStandard, an online news outlet, reported that the sex tapes began to spread on social networks while Engonga was already detained at Black Beach Prison on accusations of misappropriating public funds, as corroborated by state broadcaster TVGE.

In a fact-check published on Wednesday, Dubawa verified Engonga’s detention on corruption charges, affirming that he is currently being held in Black Beach Prison.