The Director General of the National Financial Investigation Agency in Equatorial Guinea, Baltasar Engonga, has been arrested for allegedly recording over 400 sextapes involving the wives of prominent individuals in the country.
The scandal came to light during a fraud investigation against the 54-year-old economist, which led to an unannounced search of his home and office by ANIF officials, who discovered several CDs containing explicit videos of his encounters with various married women.
The footage reportedly includes interactions with high-profile figures, such as his brother’s wife, his cousin, the sister of the President of Equatorial Guinea, the wife of the Director General of Police, and approximately 20 wives of ministers, among others.
Discovered in his personal office, the videos were said to have been recorded with the women’s consent and have since leaked online, sparking significant media outrage. According to local media platform Ahora EG, Engonga has been embroiled in an unprecedented sexual scandal since last October.
Known as “Bello,” the former ANIF director allegedly engaged in sexual relationships with multiple women, including several married ones, filming these intimate encounters. Reports indicate that some scenes occurred in his office, with one instance reportedly showing him sleeping with a woman next to the National Flag.
In response to this scandal, the Executive stated that the action taken was a direct response to incidents damaging the country’s image. They expressed hope that new measures would set a clear precedent for the expected conduct of public officials, aiming to foster a more respectful working environment in both public and private sectors in Equatorial Guinea.
Currently imprisoned for alleged corruption issues, Baltasar Engonga, known as “Bello,” has been the focus of viral erotic videos circulating on social media. The Attorney General of the country, Nzang Nguema, noted that while the images imply the women involved were not coerced, consensual sexual relations are not criminal unless coercion or violence is demonstrated. He emphasized the importance of victims reporting sexual abuse or assault and pointed out the risks posed not just to the women, but also to their partners and the broader community due to potential contagious diseases stemming from these interactions.
In light of these developments, Equatorial Guinea has opted to take immediate action by suspending all officials who engaged in sexual relations within government offices. The government stated that this decision aligns with its “zero tolerance” policy toward behaviors undermining the integrity of public service.
Vice President Nguema Mangue underscored that such actions represent a serious breach of the Code of Conduct and the Public Ethics Law, asserting on X that “ethics and respect are fundamental in our Administration,” and that irresponsible behaviors threatening citizen trust will not be tolerated.
