Equatorial Guinea’s government has announced legal proceedings against Baltasar Engonga, former head of the National Financial Investigation Agency, in connection with a sex tape scandal that has sparked outrage and concern nationwide.
Engonga, who was removed from his position earlier this year, faces charges of misconduct following the discovery of explicit videos involving high-profile individuals.
In a statement delivered over the weekend, Minister of Information Jerónimo Osa Osa condemned Engonga’s actions as violations of the “ethical and moral values of noble Equatorial Guinean society.”
According to the government’s statement, the scandal involves hundreds of videos showing Engonga in intimate encounters with various women, some of whom are married to prominent figures in Equatorial Guinea, including politicians and officials.
Local media platform Ahora EG reported that the videos, which have since gone viral, allegedly involve wives of high-ranking officials, including the sister of the country’s president, the wife of the Director General of Police, and relatives of ministers.
Many of the encounters were reportedly recorded without consent, raising questions about privacy violations and misconduct.
Vice President Teodoro Mangue expressed his commitment to curbing such acts within government institutions, warning on Tuesday that any officials found engaging in similar activities on government premises would face severe consequences.
The government has announced the installation of surveillance cameras in public offices to deter such misconduct. It also issued a directive to suspend officials implicated in the scandal, pledging a thorough investigation by the public prosecutor’s office to determine administrative, civil, and criminal liabilities.
The scandal erupted during an unrelated fraud investigation against Engonga, during which authorities discovered more than 400 explicit recordings in his office.
The government’s response includes evaluating the potential public health impact as well as the damage to Equatorial Guinea’s reputation.
Baltasar Engonga: Equatorial Guinea to arraign ex-anti-corruption chief in sex tape scandal
