Baltasar Engonga, Nephew of Equatorial Guinea’s President, Sentenced to 8 Years for Embezzlement
A court in Equatorial Guinea has actively sentenced Baltasar Ebang Engonga, the nephew of President Teodoro Obiang Nguema, to eight years in prison for embezzlement.
Specifically, the court ruled that Engonga, the former head of the National Financial Investigation Agency, diverted public funds for his personal use.
Baltasar Sex Tape Scandal
This conviction comes after a major scandal that severely damaged his reputation. Last year, while Engonga was already in detention for allegedly depositing embezzled money into secret Cayman Islands accounts, dozens of intimate videos were leaked online.
In these videos, the married official, nicknamed “Bello” for his good looks, was seen with numerous women, many of whom were wives and relatives of powerful figures.
Although the authenticity of the videos was never officially verified, the timing and circumstances pointed to a deliberate leak. Because his phones and computers were in the hands of security forces, suspicion immediately fell on a state actor aiming to destroy his reputation and any political future.
Blotted Travel Expenses
Furthermore, the court found Engonga and five other officials guilty of fraudulently claiming travel allowances ranging from $9,000 to $220,000.
In addition to the prison sentence, the tribunal has imposed a hefty fine of $220,000 on Engonga.
Ruined Political Ambitions
Ultimately, his arrest and very public humiliation are widely seen as a calculated move to eliminate a potential rival. As the world’s longest-serving president since 1979, Teodoro Obiang has already appointed his son, Teodoro Obiang Mangue, as vice-president.
Therefore, Engonga’s fall from grace—from a chief anti-money laundering investigator to an inmate at the infamous Black Beach prison—effectively crushes his hopes of succeeding his uncle in the oil-rich nation.
