Baltasar Ebang Engonga, a high-ranking Equatorial Guinean official and head of the National Financial Investigation Agency, has been dismissed following the leak of explicit videos showing him in intimate situations with multiple women, including wives of prominent figures. The videos, reportedly filmed in part within his finance ministry office, went viral online, sparking public outrage and intense social media discourse, with the hashtag #BaltasarEbangEngonga trending globally.
Engonga, a relative of President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, was already facing separate charges of alleged embezzlement while detained in the infamous Black Beach prison. His removal from office was swiftly executed by presidential decree. Attempts to contain the video’s spread included directives from telecommunications authorities to restrict access, but the content continued to circulate widely, inspiring online parodies, music videos, and even foreign parliamentary discussions, notably in Kenya.
One of the women featured in the videos, speaking anonymously on state television, revealed her shock, asserting that she had agreed to the filming with the understanding that the footage would be immediately erased. She expressed feeling deeply humiliated by its leak.
Nicknamed “Bello” for his appearance, Engonga belongs to a prominent family; his father, Baltasar Engonga Edjo, leads the Central African Economic and Monetary Community Commission. Chief prosecutor Anatolio Nzang Nguema announced that Engonga might face additional charges and that medical assessments are underway to evaluate any potential public health risks, such as the transmission of sexually transmitted infections, which could compound his legal troubles.
This scandal has brought unprecedented global attention to Equatorial Guinea, where President Obiang has enforced a highly controlled political environment since taking office in 1979. Engonga’s downfall has cast a stark light on the country’s elite and the accountability of public officials, raising questions about governance, morality, and transparency within the nation’s leadership.
