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A court in Equatorial Guinea has sentenced Baltasar Ebang Engonga to eight years in prison and ordered a substantial fine after finding him guilty of embezzling public funds tied to professional travel expenses.
The Bioko provincial tribunal handed down the ruling on Wednesday, citing the diversion of sums that the court said had been declared as travel and mission costs but used for personal purposes.
The conviction and sentence
The tribunal convicted Engonga of diverting amounts ranging from small sums to as much as CFA125.4million (Sh28.7million), the court said, and imposed an additional financial penalty equivalent to that figure.
Baltasar Ebang Engonga in court
Engonga was tried alongside several other senior officials accused in the same embezzlement case.
READ ALSO: E.Guinea leader's son fined 30mn euros in French embezzlement trial
Sex-tape scandal
Engonga first came to international attention late in 2024 when hundreds of explicit videos allegedly involving him and women connected to prominent figures were leaked online while he was already in pre-trial detention on corruption-related charges.
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Baltasar Ebang Engonga
Authorities said the material was discovered during searches linked to the financial probe.
The scandal prompted public outrage, the suspension of Engonga from his post, and government statements about measures to prevent similar incidents in official workplaces.
He had been detained at Malabo’s Black Beach prison during earlier stages of the investigation.
READ ALSO: Everything you need to know about Baltasar Engonga, his 400 explicit tapes drama
Who he is and why this matters
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Baltasar Ebang Engonga
Engonga had been director general of the National Agency for Financial Investigation, the body responsible for probing financial crimes and money-laundering risks in Equatorial Guinea.
He is also reported to be a member of the extended political elite often described as linked to the presidential family.
The combination of alleged financial misconduct and the widely circulated private recordings has intensified scrutiny of governance and conduct inside the state apparatus.
READ ALSO: Under-fire African Development Bank boss facing new graft probe
Regional and institutional context
Observers point out that prosecutions of senior officials in Equatorial Guinea occur against a backdrop of longstanding international concerns about corruption and transparency in the oil-rich state.
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Baltasar Ebang Engonga
The verdict follows a trial that began in mid-2025 and concludes a chapter of criminal proceedings that included multiple counts and several co-accused.
Local reports indicate the court found that funds ostensibly earmarked and already paid for missions were repeatedly misrepresented and used for private ends.
The sentence is likely to have immediate consequences for the individuals involved and for public perceptions of the accountability of senior officials in Equatorial Guinea.
The court has not yet reported further legal steps and any appeals.