Equatorial Guinea’s chief prosecutor, Anatolio Nzang Nguema, recently announced that Baltasar Ebang Engonga, the country’s crime chief, could face prosecution for "offences against public health" if medical tests confirm that he is infected with a sexually transmitted disease (STD). Engonga, who serves as the director of the National Financial Investigation Agency (ANIF), is at the center of a major scandal involving the leak of explicit videos featuring him with multiple women, some reportedly wives of prominent officials. These videos were allegedly filmed in his office within the finance ministry.
The scandal erupted after over 400 videos, allegedly of Engonga, were leaked and widely circulated across social media platforms, gaining rapid public attention due to Engonga's high-ranking position. This incident has prompted swift intervention by the government, which has moved to limit the spread of the videos online.
In a statement, Equatorial Guinea's Vice President, Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue, condemned the actions of civil servants engaging in sexual activities within government offices, declaring that such behavior violates public ethics and the nation's code of conduct. To enforce this stance, Obiang ordered the "immediate suspension of all civil servants who have engaged in sexual activities within ministry offices," a decision announced through his official account on social media platform X.
In a further step to control the situation, Obiang directed the telecommunications ministry and local phone operators to halt the distribution of pornographic videos within 24 hours, expressing concern over the impact on family stability. "As the government, we cannot continue to see families destroyed," he stated, underlining the administration's commitment to curtailing the scandal's impact on society.
Engonga, who is also known by the nickname “Bello,” is currently held in Malabo’s Black Beach prison on separate embezzlement charges. Following the leak, the government imposed internet restrictions aimed at containing the videos’ spread, resulting in noticeable disruptions to internet traffic and multimedia access across the country. Public interest in the scandal remains high, with widespread speculation that additional videos involving other officials may soon come to light.
Authorities in Equatorial Guinea are closely monitoring the situation as public scrutiny continues to mount, with the incident sparking debates on both ethical and legal standards within the nation's leadership.
