Baltasar Engonga jailed 8yrs over embezzlement 

A fall from power: Presidential nephew sentenced

Baltasar Ebang Engonga, a nephew of Equatorial Guinea’s long-ruling president, Teodoro Obiang Nguema, has been sentenced to eight years in prison for embezzlement. Once a powerful figure within the government as the head of the National Financial Investigation Agency, Engonga’s dramatic fall from grace has captivated both national and international audiences.

The court found that he diverted large sums of public funds into secret accounts in the Cayman Islands for personal use. Alongside him, five other officials were also convicted for their roles in the scheme, which involved fraudulent travel allowances ranging between $9,000 and $220,000.

Sex tape scandal and public humiliation

Engonga, widely known by his nickname “Bello” due to his striking appearance, gained infamy in 2024 after being caught up in a sex tape scandal. Dozens of explicit videos surfaced online, showing him in intimate acts with multiple women — some of whom were reportedly wives or relatives of powerful men within Equatorial Guinea’s elite.

The videos were leaked shortly after his arrest last October, during which his phones and computers were confiscated. While the authenticity of the footage was never officially verified, the timing raised suspicions that the leak came from within the security forces — a move many interpreted as a deliberate effort to destroy his reputation and political prospects.

Political rivalry and succession drama

Engonga’s arrest and subsequent public shaming were seen by many analysts as a strategic takedown amid succession politics. Despite being a nephew of the president, Engonga was never officially in line for the presidency. Still, his rising influence and visibility may have made him a perceived threat.

President Teodoro Obiang Nguema, the world’s longest-serving head of state, has ruled the oil-rich country since 1979. He has made it clear that his son, Teodoro Obiang Mangue, currently serving as vice-president, is the preferred successor — leaving little room for any potential challengers within the ruling circle.

From anti-corruption chief to prisoner

Ironically, Engonga once led investigations into money laundering and corruption. Yet now, he finds himself on the other side of the law, imprisoned in Malabo’s infamous Black Beach prison — notorious for its harsh conditions and political detentions.

The tribunal not only sentenced Engonga to eight years but also imposed a $220,000 fine, according to Supreme Court press director Hilario Mitogo, who shared the details via WhatsApp with journalists.

A symbolic case in a secretive state

The trial and scandal surrounding Baltasar Ebang Engonga have highlighted the opaque nature of Equatorial Guinea’s political system — where family ties, power struggles, and corruption are tightly interwoven. His downfall is widely seen as a message to other potential rivals within the ruling elite: no one is untouchable, not even family.