The Director General of the National Financial Investigation Agency in Equatorial Guinea, Baltasar Engonga, has been arrested for allegedly recording over 400 sex tapes involving wives of prominent persons in the country.
Baltasar Engonga, in over 400 sex tapes depicting him in compromising positions with wives of influential individuals in the country was found at his residence while investigating him for a different case.
The sex tapes were discovered during a fraud investigation against the 54-year-old economist, which required a search of his house and office on impromptu notice by ANIF officials.
The officials stumbled upon several CDs that later revealed his sexcapades with different married women some of whom are Engonga’s relatives.
The footages include encounters with high-profile individuals such as his brother’s wife, his cousin, the sister of the President of Equatorial Guinea and the wife of the Director General of Police, as well as about 20 of the country’s ministers’ wives, among others.
The videos were discovered in his office and reportedly recorded with consent.
Uproar in Equatorial Guinea over sex tapes scandal
The discovery has caused a media uproar in the Central African country after the sex tapes leaked online.
According to a report by local media platform, AhoruEG, Engonga has been involved in a sexual scandal unprecedented in the history of Equatorial Guinea since last October.
Popularly known as “Bello,” the former ANIF DG had sexual relations with several women, some of them married, and captured the intimate encounters on tape.
“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 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,” the report read.
Equatorial Guinean govt reacts to sex tapes scandal
Reacting to the viral sex tapes, the country’s Attorney General, Nzang Nguema, said the images suggest that the women involved were not forced to participate, stressing that the law doesn’t consider consensual sexual relations to be a crime except coercion or violence is proven.
He noted that this highlights the importance of victims reporting situations of sexual abuse or assault.
Nguema further emphasised that the risk isn’t only for the women involved but also for their partners and the wider community.
“The possibility of a contagious disease being spread through these sexual interactions makes the situation even more critical,” he added.
The Attorney General explained that the onus is on victims to come forward in cases of sexual assault or rape, highlighting the need for an environment where people feel safe and supported to report such incidents.
Govt takes action
In its reaction on Monday, November 4, 2024, the Equatorial Guinea government decided to take action by issuing immediate suspensions to officials who had sexual relations in the offices of the country’s ministries.
The government argued that the decision was part of its “zero tolerance” policy towards behaviour that compromises the integrity of the public service.
The country’s Vice President, Nguema Mangue, has insisted that these behaviours constitute a flagrant violation of the Code of Conduct and the Public Ethics Law.
“Ethics and respect are fundamental in our Administration,” he stated in a post on X, stressing that irresponsible attitudes that put citizen trust at risk will not be allowed.
