July 03, (THEWILL) — A former Director General of the National Financial Investigation Agency (ANIF) in Equatorial Guinea, Baltasar Engonga Edjo, may spend the next 18 years behind bars as his high-profile corruption trial continues at a court in Malabo.
Engonga, 54, who also headed the Directorate General of Insurance and Reinsurance between 2015 and 2020, is standing trial alongside six other former senior government officials.
The group is accused of orchestrating a wide-ranging scheme involving embezzlement, misappropriation of public funds, illicit enrichment, and abuse of power.
According to prosecutors, Engonga allegedly led a sophisticated financial fraud operation that funneled state resources into private accounts.
The case has been described as one of the most significant anti-corruption trials in Equatorial Guinea’s history.
He has been held at the notorious Black Beach Prison since his arrest in September 2024, following a sweeping anti-corruption probe.
Though his charges are primarily financial, the scandal took a sensational turn when investigators reportedly discovered more than 400 sex tapes during a raid on his residence and office.
The recordings, stored on compact discs, allegedly depict Engonga in compromising acts with several high-profile women, including the wives of ministers, senior security officials, and even relatives of the country’s ruling elite.
Those said to appear in the footage include the wife of the Director General of Police, Engonga’s sister-in-law, his cousin, and a woman identified as the sister of President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo.
Despite the shocking nature of these revelations, Engonga is currently facing charges strictly related to financial crimes.
During Monday’s proceedings, prosecutors detailed the allegations and urged the court to impose the following sentences: eight years for embezzlement of public funds, four years and five months for illicit enrichment, and six years and one day for abuse of power.
The combined sentence sought totals 18 years and six days in prison. Prosecutors also requested a fine of over 910 million CFA francs (approximately $1.5 million) and a complete ban on Engonga holding public office for the duration of his sentence.
The prosecution emphasized the systemic nature of the alleged corruption, noting that other senior officials were deeply involved.
Among the co-defendants are Carmelo Julio Matogo Ndong, Ireneo Mangue Monsuy Afana, and Florentina Iganga Iñandji, all accused of playing key roles in what authorities have called a “sophisticated and coordinated looting of state finances.”
According to Le Bled Parle, a news outlet closely monitoring the case, the trial is expected to last three days, with defense lawyers set to present their arguments later this week.
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