Baltasar Ebang Engonga, a senior official and former head of the national financial investigation agency, has been sentenced to eight years in prison for embezzlement by a court in Equatorial Guinea.
Engonga was found guilty by the Bioko provincial tribunal of misappropriating money from business travel expenditures for personal use.
Supreme Court communications Director Hilario Mitogo revealed this information via WhatsApp on Wednesday. Additionally, Engonga, also known as “Bello,” was fined $220,000.
In the oil-rich Central African nation, he and five other senior officials were charged with embezzling hundreds of thousands of dollars. Mitogo confirmed that the high-profile case concluded on Wednesday with the provincial court’s ruling.
The prosecution is seeking a total of 18 years in prison and a hefty fine of 910 million CFA francs against Engonga. Prosecutors accuse him of serious financial wrongdoing, including the diversion of public funds and abuse of official power. Specifically, they are demanding:
- 8 years for embezzlement
- 4 years and 5 months for illicit enrichment
- 6 years and 1 day for abuse of power
- A financial penalty amounting to nearly 1 billion CFA francs
- A prohibition from holding any public office throughout the duration of his sentence
Though this is not the first time Engonga has come under scrutiny, the latest proceedings follow a scandal last year that rocked the country’s political class. In November, reports emerged that during a separate fraud investigation, authorities uncovered over 400 video recordings allegedly documenting intimate encounters between Engonga and the spouses of top-ranking officials—including ministers.
The discovery was reportedly made during a surprise search of his residence and office, which revealed stacks of CDs and other materials. The revelations drew immediate public outcry and internal government backlash.
In response, Vice President Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue took swift action, issuing suspensions to public servants implicated in misconduct and warning that unethical behavior in government spaces would no longer be tolerated.
He stressed that such actions violate the country’s Code of Conduct and the Public Ethics Law, reiterating the government’s stance of “zero tolerance” toward officials who compromise the moral and institutional integrity of public service.
In response, Vice President Nguema Mangue announced immediate suspensions for any officials engaging in inappropriate conduct within government offices. He emphasized that such actions breach both the Code of Conduct and the Public Ethics Law, reinforcing the administration’s commitment to “zero tolerance” for behaviour that threatens the public’s trust in government integrity.
