Summary
After finding over 300 explicit sex tape videos on his computer, Equatorial Guinea’s Director General of the National Financial Investigation Agency (ANIF), Baltasar Ebang Engonga, has been sacked.
Baltasar Ebang Engonga, the Director-General of the National Financial Investigation Agency (ANIF) in Equatorial Guinea, has been dismissed over a sex scandal that involves multiple videos of him being intimate with different women.
Baltasar, who was originally taken into custody over suspected fraud allegations by the government, was found in charge of over 300 videos of him having sexual intercourse with multiple women in different locations, including his office, hotel rooms, and restrooms.
The footage, which was then leaked on social media, has sparked a lot of outrage as a lot of high-profile individuals were involved, including his brother’s pregnant wife and the sister of the President of Equatorial Guinea.
Following this, the government of Equatorial Guinea has fired him over sexual misconduct in the workplace and endangering public health, among other charges.
Equatorial Guinea’s Vice President, Teodoro Nguema, addressed the scandal in a public statement posted on X, condemning inappropriate conduct within government offices.
“Given the abuse that has been shown on social media in Equatorial Guinea in recent days, and remembering that ministries are solely and exclusively for carrying out administrative work in support of the country’s development, sexual relations in offices are prohibited,” he said
The Vice President also said that necessary control mechanisms were already in place to ensure that individuals who engaged in such behaviour would be fired and subject to disciplinary action. He also stated on Nov. 4, 2024, that all officials who have been involved in sexual misconduct in the office of the country’s ministries were to be suspended.
“The Government will take severe measures against these acts since it constitutes a flagrant violation of the Code of Conduct and the Public Ethics Law,” he said. “The Government will soon implement the installation of surveillance cameras in all offices of State bodies. We have taken this measure to ensure compliance with the law on public officials and to eradicate improper and illicit behaviour.”
According to Real Equatorial Guinea, Equatorial Guinea President Teodoro Mbasogo dismissed Baltasar for “irregularities committed in the exercise of his functions, as well as inappropriate family and social conduct for the performance of public functions, as stated in Decree number 118/2024, dated Nov. 4.”
In response, First Lady Constancia Mangue Obiang met with Prime Minister Manuel Osa Nsue, who oversees administrative coordination, and voiced her disgust over the issue.
The First Lady Press Office (Ofiprensa Primera Dama) said in a Facebook statement that Ms Constancia demanded prompt government action to preserve Equatoguinean women’s dignity and safeguard their privacy in the digital era.
She emphasised that although the government has made progress towards gender equality, proactive steps are necessary to provide a secure and respected environment for all women, both in response to and in prevention of occurrences such as these.
