Baltasar Engonga gets 8 years for looting state funds
“Bello” Behind Bars: Equatorial Guinea President’s Nephew Jailed for Embezzlement
Elohim Nyame 
Baltasar Ebang Engonga, the flamboyant nephew of Equatorial Guinea’s long-serving president, has been sentenced to eight years in prison for embezzling public funds, a court has ruled.
Ebang, once head of the country’s national financial agency, was found guilty of diverting millions in state funds for personal use. Known by the nickname “Bello” – meaning “handsome” in Spanish – he had enjoyed a high-profile lifestyle marked by luxury and controversy.
He first gained international attention in 2024 after several explicit sex tapes were leaked online. The videos, which quickly went viral, showed him with multiple women, including wives and relatives of powerful figures within the regime. At the time, he was already under investigation for funnelling public money into secret accounts in the Cayman Islands.
Despite attempts to silence media coverage and suppress the footage, the scandal proved impossible to contain. The tapes not only embarrassed the ruling elite but also intensified scrutiny of Ebang’s financial dealings abroad.
The court ruling stated that Ebang had used his position to misappropriate funds meant for infrastructure and public services, instead financing personal real estate, luxury vehicles, and extravagant trips.
It marks a rare case of public accountability in a country often criticised for corruption and nepotism. Observers say the sentencing could be a signal from the regime to distance itself from mounting international pressure.
