Equatorial Guinea officials are taking drastic steps to restore public trust after a high-ranking government official was caught in a scandal involving hundreds of explicit videos filmed in his office. Over the weekend, Vice President Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue announced that Baltasar Ebang Engonga, head of the country’s National Financial Investigation Agency, had been suspended and placed under investigation for recording sexual encounters with multiple women in his office. Some of the women allegedly include wives and relatives of other government officials, adding to the scandal’s shockwave.
According to ABC News, investigators searching Engonga’s belongings uncovered up to 400 videos showing explicit acts, sparking widespread outrage within the government. Shortly after Engonga’s arrest on corruption charges, several videos leaked online, causing a surge in national internet traffic. To curb the spread, telecommunications companies have reportedly slowed internet speeds across the country.
Engonga faces further investigation on allegations that he may have knowingly endangered public health by spreading disease. Equatorial Guinea’s chief prosecutor, Anatolio Nzang Nguema, stated that if Engonga is found to have a sexually transmitted disease, additional charges for endangering public health could follow. Officials are also investigating whether the encounters were consensual, as no complaints have yet been filed by the women involved.
In response to the scandal, Vice President Mangue announced that all government offices would soon have surveillance cameras to prevent similar incidents in the future. “Any official caught engaging in sexual acts in their office will be suspended,” Mangue stated firmly.
Engonga, who reportedly expressed regret on Facebook by sharing a photo of himself with family members captioned, “Family is everything,” remains under investigation as the country’s officials push for accountability and transparency.
