EQUATORIAL GUINEAN OFFICIAL JAILED FOR EMBEZZLEMENT AFTER SEX TAPE SCANDAL

A court in Equatorial Guinea has sentenced a senior official to eight years in prison for embezzlement. Baltasar Ebang Engonga, the married former head of the national financial investigation agency, was convicted of diverting hundreds of thousands of dollars in professional travel expenses for personal use.

The Bioko provincial tribunal handed down the sentence and also fined Engonga $220,000. Hilario Mitogo, the supreme court press director, confirmed the verdict to reporters. “The Bioko provincial tribunal convicted Baltasar Ebang Engonga of diverting money claimed as professional travel expenses for personal use,” Mitogo said in a WhatsApp message.

Engonga, nicknamed “Bello”, and five other senior officials were accused of the embezzlement in the oil-rich central African state. His conviction follows a separate scandal that brought him international notoriety. While in detention awaiting trial for the financial crimes, a series of sex tapes featuring Engonga with other officials’ wives was published on social media. Some of the videos were filmed in his office at the finance ministry.

The clips prompted a widespread online reaction, including parodies, songs, and dances. The scandal also inspired posts about a spoof virility drug dubbed “Balthazariem”.