Equatorial Guinea’s Vice-President, Teodoro Obiang Mangue, has issued a stern warning, declaring that civil servants caught engaging in sexual activities in their offices will face “severe measures.”
This response follows the release of hundreds of explicit videos allegedly showing high-ranking civil servant Baltasar Ebang Engonga engaging in sex acts with multiple women, some reportedly the spouses of influential officials.
Engonga, who serves as the head of the National Financial Investigation Agency and is a relative of the nation’s president, is implicated in the scandal that has drawn widespread public attention. In the wake of the revelations, Engonga expressed sadness on his Facebook page, sharing a photo of himself with a woman and children and captioning it, “Family is everything.”
Vice-President Obiang condemned the behavior, emphasizing it as a “flagrant violation of the code of conduct” and announced that any official involved in similar acts at work would face suspension. As a preventative measure, he ordered the installation of surveillance cameras in government offices and courtrooms to discourage “indecent and illicit acts.”
A statement from the vice-president’s office explained that these actions were necessary after the widely circulated videos brought shame upon the country’s image. Obiang has also instructed telecom companies to restrict the spread of the videos on social media, which has reportedly led to a significant disruption in internet access, especially for downloading media.
Engonga’s arrest on unrelated corruption charges reportedly led to the leak of the videos, and the scandal has stirred further scrutiny from Equatorial Guinea’s chief prosecutor, Anatolio Nzang Nguema. Nguema announced that Engonga could face additional charges if he is found to have transmitted a sexually transmitted infection, describing it as a threat to “public health.”
Nicknamed “Bello,” meaning “beautiful” in Spanish due to his reputed good looks, Engonga’s fall from grace has sent shockwaves through the nation, highlighting concerns over ethical conduct within government offices and prompting calls for stricter accountability in public service.
