The government of Equatorial Guinea has removed Baltasar Ebang Engonga as Director General of the National Financial Investigation Agency (ANIF) after widely circulated sex videos featuring him and numerous women appeared online.
Previously, PREMIUM TIMES reported that the government suspended Mr Engonga following the leak of more than 400 alleged sexual videos of him in intimate situations with several women, some linked to high-profile figures in Equatorial Guinea.
Royal Equatorial Guinea reported that President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo ordered the dismissal of Engonga, son of Baltasar Engonga Edjo, current president of the Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC).
The newspaper adds that, according to Decree No. 118/2024, of November 4, the dismissal is due to alleged misconduct by Mr. Engonga in the exercise of his position, in addition to family and social behavior considered incompatible with public office. .
First Lady reacts
Reacting to the development, First Lady Constancia Mangue Obiang expressed outrage over the scandal during a meeting with Prime Minister Manuel Osa Nsue, who oversees administrative coordination.
In a statement posted on Facebook on Wednesday, the First Lady's Press Office (Ofiprensa Primera Dama) announced that Mrs. Obiang called for immediate government intervention to defend the dignity of Equatoguinean women and protect their privacy in the digital age.
She highlighted that while the government has made progress on gender equality, proactive measures are essential—not only to respond to incidents like these but also to prevent them—to ensure a safe and respectful environment for all women.
Article page with financial support promotion Privacy laws
Prime Minister Osa Nsue also acknowledged the impact of the situation and emphasized the importance of measures that safeguard individual privacy and the public image of the nation.
He also noted that the government is contemplating stricter privacy laws as it grapples with the impact of the scandal on the country's public image and gender equality initiatives.
Recognizing the problem, he mentioned that his office is actively looking for ways to control it and draw lessons from these mistakes to prevent similar incidents from affecting society.
“The Government of Equatorial Guinea, aware of the impact of social networks and the growing presence of private content on digital platforms, is also considering strengthening laws related to privacy and the protection of personal data to avoid further violations of rights. of the citizens.
“The case of Baltasar Ebang Engonga has sparked a broader debate about the limits of privacy in the digital age and the role of institutions in protecting people's fundamental rights. In this regard, the government emphasized the need for a comprehensive approach that combines legislation, education and social awareness to curb the proliferation of inappropriate content online,” said Osa Nsue.
The First Lady and the Prime Minister ended the meeting with a shared commitment to collaboratively implement measures to restore public confidence in institutions and safeguard the reputation of Equatorial Guinean women from similar incidents in the future.
They explored possible strategies to prevent such situations from occurring again.
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Meanwhile, Vice President Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue ordered the Ministry of Telecommunications, the regulator and the country's telecommunications companies to stop the distribution of pornographic videos.
He stressed that the government cannot continue allowing families to be harmed by the viral circulation of the video of the 54-year-old economist.
Now EG, a local news platform in the country, reported that the government has imposed restrictions on citizens, preventing them from downloading and sharing media files via mobile data on WhatsApp.
This action followed government guidelines urging telecom operators to limit access to inappropriate content.
Now EG also reported widespread frustration among citizens, who were unable to share photos, videos or audio via mobile data, forcing them to rely solely on WiFi connections for such exchanges.
A state television station in the country, TVGE, reported that Engonga's sex tapes were leaked while he was in custody at the infamous Black Beach prison in Malabo for embezzlement of public funds.
Meanwhile, Equatorial Guinea's chief prosecutor, Anatolio Nzang Nguema, assured the people that if medical examinations confirmed that the economist was suffering from a sexually transmitted disease, he would face legal proceedings for endangering “public health.”
Background
This newspaper reported that the Vice President ordered an investigation to clarify the facts and hold responsible the offenders involved in the viral video.
He also announced that the government will install surveillance cameras in all state agency offices.
Nguema explained that this initiative supports ongoing efforts to enforce public service laws and curb official misconduct.
He added that his goal is to strengthen law enforcement, improve accountability and underscore the administration's commitment to integrity amid growing demands for governance reform.
He said: “The government will soon install surveillance cameras in all state agency offices. We have taken this step to ensure compliance with public service laws and eradicate inappropriate and illegal behavior.
“We will not tolerate any actions that tarnish the integrity of our administration, and individuals involved in such practices will face strict action.”
The vice president also declared a ban on sexual relations in the office, warning that any officer caught engaging in such behavior would face dismissal.
In addition, he emphasized that control mechanisms have been implemented, stating that “anyone who fails to comply with this rule will be subjected to a disciplinary process for misconduct and will be removed from their position.
“The ministries are solely and exclusively to carry out administrative tasks in favor of the development of the country. “It is prohibited to have sexual relations in the offices.”