A court in Equatorial Guinea has sentenced senior government official Baltasar Ebang Engonga to eight years in prison for embezzlement, following a scandal involving leaked sex tapes that drew international attention.
Engonga, a former head of the national financial investigation agency, was convicted by the Bioko Provincial Tribunal for misappropriating public funds claimed as professional travel expenses, according to a statement from Supreme Court press director Hilario Mitogo shared via WhatsApp.
The case involved Engonga and five other senior officials, who were accused of embezzling hundreds of thousands of dollars in the oil-rich Central African nation.
Engonga, who is married and widely known by the nickname “Bello,” gained notoriety in November after multiple sex tapes surfaced online while he was already in detention over the financial misconduct charges. Some of the explicit videos—reportedly filmed in his office at the finance ministry—featured him with the wives of other high-ranking officials.
The scandal triggered widespread online mockery, including satirical songs, dance challenges, and memes referencing a fictional virility-enhancing drug named “Balthazariem.”
The court sentenced Engonga to eight years in prison and imposed a fine of approximately $220,000.
AFP
