Equatorial Guinea president’s nephew jailed after sex tape scandal

By Chinasaokwu Helen Okoro

Baltasar Ebang Engonga, a nephew of Equatorial Guinea’s President Teodoro Obiang Nguema, has been sentenced to eight years in prison for embezzlement.

Engonga, once head of the National Financial Investigation Agency, was found guilty of diverting state funds for personal use. He was convicted alongside five other officials accused of disguising the money as travel allowances, ranging from $9,000 (£6,600) to $220,000.

Nicknamed “Bello” for his looks, the married official became notorious in 2024 after a series of leaked sex tapes showed him with multiple women, including wives and relatives of powerful figures. The videos surfaced while he was already in detention over allegations that he funneled large sums into offshore Cayman Islands accounts.

His arrest and the subsequent scandal were widely seen as a move to derail any political ambitions he may have harbored. President Obiang, in power since 1979 and the world’s longest-serving leader, has positioned his son, Vice-President Teodoro Obiang Mangue, as his successor.

Engonga, who once investigated money laundering, ended up at the infamous Black Beach prison in Malabo after being accused of corruption. Security forces seized his devices before the videos appeared online, prompting suspicions the leaks were orchestrated to ruin his reputation.

In addition to his prison term, a tribunal fined him $220,000, according to Supreme Court press director Hilario Mitogo, who confirmed the ruling via WhatsApp.