The Director General of the National Financial Investigation Agency in Equatorial Guinea, Baltasar Engonga, has been arrested for allegedly recording over 400 sextapes involving the wives of prominent individuals in the country.
The scandal came to light during a fraud investigation involving the 54-year-old economist, which led ANIF officials to conduct unannounced searches of his home and office, where they discovered numerous CDs revealing his intimate encounters with various married women.
The videos reportedly feature high-profile individuals, including his brother’s wife, his cousin, the sister of the President of Equatorial Guinea, the wife of the Director General of Police, and approximately 20 wives of the country’s ministers, among others.
The footage, found in his personal office, was claimed to have been recorded with consent and has since leaked online, sparking significant media outrage.
According to a report from the local media outlet Ahora EG, Engonga has been embroiled in a sexual scandal unprecedented in Equatorial Guinea’s history since last October.
The former ANIF DG, popularly known as “Bello,” engaged in sexual relations with several women, some of whom were married, and recorded these intimate moments.
The report read, “The most striking thing is that some scenes took place in his work office, including moments in which he is seen sleeping with a woman next to the National Flag. Based on this sexual scandal, the Executive has stated that the measure is a direct response to the acts that have affected the image of the country.
“With these new measures, the Government hopes to establish a clear precedent on the expected conduct of public officials in order to create a more respectful work environment in the public and private administration of Equatorial Guinea. For days now, erotic videos have been circulating on social media featuring Baltasar EBANG ENGONGA, better known as “Bello”, who is currently the Director General of the National Financial Investigation Agency (ANIF) and is currently imprisoned for alleged corruption issues.
“Baltasar EBANG ENGONGA is said to have filmed these scenes with the consent of the women themselves, which exonerates him from a possible crime of violation of integrity. In the videos, he is seen having unprotected sex with several women, including those married to powerful and well-known people in the country, but also with the most “diva and influential” single women in Equatorial Guinea. Some scenes take place in hotel rooms, houses, even in the protagonist’s office at the Ministry of Finance,” it added.
In response to the viral sextapes, the Attorney General of Equatorial Guinea, Nzang Nguema, has stated that while the videos imply that the women involved did not face coercion, the law does not classify consensual sexual relations as a crime unless there is evidence of coercion or violence. He emphasized the importance of victims reporting incidents of sexual abuse or assault.
Nguema also noted that the risks extend beyond the women involved, impacting their partners and the broader community. He remarked, “The potential for the spread of contagious diseases through these sexual interactions makes the situation even more critical.”
He further highlighted that it is the responsibility of victims to come forward in cases of rape or assault, underscoring the need for an environment where individuals feel safe and supported when reporting such incidents.
In light of these developments, the Equatorial Guinea government has decided to take action by suspending all officials who have engaged in sexual relations within the country’s ministries.
This decision is part of the government’s “zero tolerance” policy regarding behavior that undermines the integrity of public service.
Vice President Nguema Mangue stated that such actions represent a blatant violation of the Code of Conduct and the Public Ethics Law. In his statement on X, he stressed that “ethics and respect are fundamental in our Administration” and that irresponsible behaviors that jeopardize citizen trust will not be tolerated.