Equatorial Guinea Jails Balthasar Engonga for Embezzlement After Video Tape Scandal
- A senior Equatorial Guinean official has been sentenced to eight years in prison for embezzling public funds
- Baltasar Ebang Engonga’s conviction follows a scandal involving leaked sex tapes that drew global attention and public ridicule
- The case has reignited scrutiny over corruption within the oil-rich central African nation’s political elite
A senior government official in Equatorial Guinea, Baltasar Ebang Engonga, has been sentenced to eight years in prison for embezzlement, months after becoming the centre of a global scandal involving leaked sex tapes.
The Bioko provincial tribunal found Engonga guilty of misappropriating public funds, specifically diverting money claimed as professional travel expenses for personal use.
Source: Twitter
The conviction was confirmed by Hilario Mitogo, press director of the Supreme Court, who communicated the verdict to reporters via WhatsApp.
Engonga, formerly the head of the national financial investigation agency, was among six senior officials accused of embezzling hundreds of thousands of dollars in the oil-rich central African nation. The court also imposed a fine of $220,000 on Engonga, according to Mitogo.
Scandal surrounding leaked sex tapes
Nicknamed “Bello”, Engonga attracted international attention in November when explicit videos surfaced online while he was in detention awaiting trial. The tapes, reportedly filmed in his office at the finance ministry and involving the wives of other officials, sparked widespread outrage and ridicule.
The scandal triggered a wave of online parodies across social media platforms, including satirical songs, dances, and mock advertisements for a fictional virility drug dubbed “Balthazariem”.
Political fallout in oil-rich Equatorial Guinea
The case has cast a spotlight on corruption within Equatorial Guinea’s political elite, raising questions about accountability and governance in a country where oil wealth has long been concentrated among a small ruling class.
While the government has yet to issue a formal statement on the broader implications of the case, the sentencing of Engonga marks one of the most high-profile convictions in recent years.
Observers say the ruling could signal a shift in the country’s approach to financial misconduct, though scepticism remains over whether systemic reform will follow.
Source: Facebook
Businesswoman Poses 2 Interesting Questions on Balthasar
Legit.ng earlier reported that a businesswoman, Chioma Ifeanyi-Eze, has posed two questions begging for answers concerning the leaked Baltasar Engonga tapes flying around online.
Chioma, the founder of Accountinghub, said she just needed answers. In a Facebook post, Chioma asked why Baltasar recorded his acts with the ladies. She also wanted to know why the women consented to being filmed.
Chioma wrote: "1. Why did he record? "2. Why did the women consent to the recording? "That's all I want to know."
The Equatorial Guinea government has arrested Baltasar, who was being investigated for fraud before over 300 tapes of his affairs with numerous women were found.
Source: Legit.ng
