Equatorial Guinea’s Baltasar Engonga Sentenced to 18 Years in Prison

Baltasar Engonga Ebang, former Director General of Equatorial Guinea’s National Agency for Financial Investigation, has been sentenced to 18 years in prison after being found guilty of embezzling over one billion CFA francs in public funds.

Engonga, who gained infamy in late 2024 after explicit videos of him surfaced online, has been under scrutiny for months.

The scandal widened when investigations revealed massive financial misconduct linked to his management of a state-owned enterprise under the Ministry of Finance.

According to local media, Engonga personally pocketed 910 million CFA francs from the embezzled amount—allegedly spending much of it on women, luxury items, and extravagant parties.

The trial, which began on Monday, also involved several other officials tied to the case. Prosecutors pushed for a combined sentence covering multiple charges: 8 years for embezzlement, 4 years and 5 months for illicit enrichment, and over 6 years for abuse of power. The court was asked to impose an 18-year sentence along with a fine nearing one billion CFA francs.

Engonga’s defense team denied all allegations, but judges ruled against him on Wednesday, citing overwhelming evidence, including forged contracts, suspicious bank transfers, and offshore accounts. Prosecutors called it “one of the largest financial betrayals of public trust in recent memory.”

Throughout the proceedings, Engonga remained mostly silent, showing little emotion as the verdict was read. Following a thorough review of the evidence, the court handed down the full 18-year prison sentence for embezzlement of public funds.