Equatorial Guinea’s Vice-President Teodoro Obiang Mangue has vowed strict action against government officials caught engaging in sexual acts in their offices, following a public scandal involving alleged videos of high-ranking civil servant Baltasar Ebang Engonga. The videos, reportedly showing Engonga involved with various women—including spouses of prominent officials—in his office, have sparked widespread outrage after being circulated online.
Engonga, the head of Equatorial Guinea’s National Financial Investigation Agency (ANIF) and a relative of President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, has not publicly commented on the accusations. However, he did post a message on social media, expressing sadness, alongside a family photo captioned, ‘Family is everything.’
Obiang, determined to address the fallout, announced that any official found engaging in sexual acts at work would face immediate suspension for violating professional ethics. The Vice-President also ordered surveillance cameras to be installed in government buildings, including courts and ministries, to deter ‘indecent and illicit acts’ in the workplace. ‘Such behaviour is a flagrant violation of the code of conduct and will not be tolerated,’ Obiang stated, noting the scandal had ‘denigrated the country’s image.’
The scandal erupted after Engonga’s recent arrest on unrelated corruption charges. State television TVGE reported that authorities discovered and leaked the tapes during the investigation. The incident has raised concerns about data security within the country, while social media platforms in Equatorial Guinea have been abuzz with reactions to the explicit content.
In a move to curb the dissemination of such material, Vice-President Obiang last week ordered telecom companies to limit internet access for downloading images, citing the need to prevent the spread of ‘pornographic videos’ that he said were ‘flooding’ social media.
The restrictions have affected internet access, especially for media downloads, causing frustration among internet users in the country. According to reports by AFP, connectivity issues have intensified since the announcement, with disrupted image and video sharing.
Engonga’s reputation has also drawn public curiosity; he is reportedly nicknamed ‘Bello’ (Spanish for ‘beautiful’) due to his looks. As head of the ANIF, Engonga is responsible for tackling financial crimes, including money laundering, a role that has put him under intense scrutiny following the scandal.
Amid the uproar, Equatorial Guinea’s chief prosecutor, Anatolio Nzang Nguema, stated on state TV that Engonga could face charges beyond misconduct if found to have transmitted any sexually transmitted diseases, framing this as a potential ‘public health’ issue. Nzang’s statement reflects the broader effort by officials to impose accountability and mitigate the impact of the scandal.
The revelations have highlighted mounting public concerns over professional misconduct and corruption in Equatorial Guinea, with critics calling for more transparency and ethical reforms within the government. The Vice-President’s response underscores the administration’s intent to restore public confidence by ensuring stricter oversight of officials. Whether these measures will effectively stem similar issues remains to be seen, but the scandal has undoubtedly placed new pressure on Equatorial Guinea’s leadership to uphold accountability within its ranks.
As the government intensifies its crackdown, questions remain about how such incidents have gone unnoticed for so long and what steps will be taken to prevent future breaches of public trust.
Credit: Africabriefing
