Equatorial Guinea’s Baltasar Engonga remanded in prison over sex tapes

Baltasar Engonga, the former director-general of Equatorial Guinea's National Financial Investigation Agency, has been placed under remand at Malabo's Black Beach Prison. 

Days ago, the troubled former anti-graft chief was taken into custody on suspicion of recording more than 400 sex videos featuring the wives of well-known national politicians. 

When ANIF investigators conducted an unexpected search of the 54-year-old economist's home and office as part of a fraud probe, they allegedly found multiple CDs that documented his sex with various married women. 

Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, the president of Equatorial Guinea, fired Engonga after the video went viral online and caused a stir in the media.

According to Decree No. 118/2024, dated 4th November, the dismissal was due to “irregularities committed in the exercise of his functions, as well as inappropriate family and social conduct for the performance of public duties.”

On Friday, a widely shared video on social media showed Engonga appearing in court with both hands and legs tied. 

The story was confirmed by the French online blog Afrikmatin, which stated that Engonga was chained and sent to Malabo Central Prison after being formally removed from his position on November 6, 2024. He is accused of embezzlement and corruption. 

Furthermore, according to state television, TVGE, Engonga was already detained in Malabo's infamous Black Beach Prison on suspicion of embezzling public monies when the sex films started making the rounds on social media, according to online journal UGStandard. 

Dubawa confirmed that Engonga had been arrested on corruption allegations and was being imprisoned at Black Beach Prison in a fact-checking report released on Wednesday.

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