More Trouble Looms For Ex-Equatorial Guinea Anti-Corruption Chief Baltasar Engonga

The former Director General of the National Financial Investigation Agency (ANIF) in Equatorial Guinea, Baltasar Engonga Edjo, is facing the prospect of spending the next 18 years behind bars as his high-profile corruption trial unfolds in a court in Malabo.

Engonga, 54, who previously headed the powerful Directorate General of Insurance and Reinsurance between 2015 and 2020, is standing trial alongside six other former senior government officials.

They are collectively accused of operating a vast and deeply entrenched scheme of embezzlement, misappropriation of public funds, unlawful enrichment, and abuse of power.

According to prosecutors, Engonga allegedly orchestrated a sophisticated financial fraud operation designed to siphon state resources into private hands. The case has become one of the most significant anti-corruption trials in the country’s history.

He has been in custody at the infamous Black Beach Prison since September 2024, following his arrest during a sweeping corruption probe. While his charges stem strictly from financial crimes, the scandal took an even more sensational turn when over 400 alleged sex tapes were reportedly discovered during a surprise search of his residence and office.

These recordings, stored on compact discs, are said to feature illicit encounters with several high-profile women, including the wives of ministers, senior security officials, and even relatives of the country’s ruling elite.

Among those reportedly captured in the videos are the wife of the Director General of Police, Engonga’s own sister-in-law, his cousin, and a woman identified as the sister of President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo.

Despite the explosive nature of these revelations, Engonga is currently being prosecuted only for financial crimes. During Monday’s court proceedings, the prosecution laid out the charges in detail, requesting the following penalties:

Eight years for the embezzlement of public funds,

Four years and five months for illicit enrichment, and

Six years and one day for abuse of power.

The combined prison term sought by prosecutors amounts to 18 years and six days. In addition, they are demanding a hefty fine exceeding 910 million CFA francs (approximately $1.5 million USD) and a complete ban on holding any public office for the duration of his sentence.

The prosecution also emphasized the systemic nature of the corruption, highlighting the involvement of several other senior figures. Among the co-defendants are Carmelo Julio Matogo Ndong, Ireneo Mangue Monsuy Afana, and Florentina Iganga Iñandji—each accused of participating in what authorities have described as a “sophisticated and coordinated looting of state finances.”

According to Le Bled Parle, a news outlet following the proceedings closely, the trial is expected to span three days, with defense lawyers scheduled to begin presenting their case this week.

Engonga, a trained economist with a long career in public administration, now finds himself at the center of a scandal that has rocked the Equatoguinean political establishment. His arrest and prosecution are seen by some as a test of the government’s willingness to crack down on high-level corruption, while critics argue that the trial may be politically motivated or selectively enforced.

As the courtroom drama continues to unfold, the public remains riveted not only by the scale of the alleged financial misconduct but also by the salacious personal revelations that have emerged from the investigation.

While the court has yet to formally admit the contents of the recovered tapes as evidence, their existence has already had far-reaching implications, casting a shadow over key figures in the political and security establishments of Equatorial Guinea.

The outcome of the trial is expected to send a strong signal—either reaffirming the country’s resolve to root out corruption or deepening public skepticism over the justice system’s independence and integrity.