Equatorial Guinea: Baltasar Ebang Engonga jailed for embezzlement
Baltasar Ebang Engonga, a nephew of Equatorial Guinea’s long-serving President Teodoro Obiang Nguema, has been sentenced to eight years in prison for embezzlement. The former head of the National Financial Investigation Agency was found guilty of diverting public funds for personal use.
Engonga, nicknamed “Bello,” was once a powerful figure tasked with investigating financial crimes.
His fall from grace began last October when he was arrested and detained over allegations of laundering embezzled money into offshore accounts in the Cayman Islands.
While in custody, dozens of private sex tapes featuring Engonga were leaked online, severely damaging his reputation. Although unverified, the leaks were widely believed to have been orchestrated to undermine his political ambitions.
A court in Malabo found Engonga and five other officials guilty of fraudulently claiming travel allowances ranging from $9,000 to $220,000. In addition to his prison term, he was fined $220,000.
The sentencing is seen as part of a broader effort to eliminate a potential rival to Vice President Teodoro Obiang Mangue, the president’s son and designated successor. President Obiang has ruled the oil-rich nation since 1979.
