The embattled former Director General of National Financial Investigation Agency (ANIF), in Equatorial Guinea, Baltasar Engonga has been acquitted by the Supreme Court.
According to a news outlet, GhanaWeb, the court dismissed all charges filed against him, citing lack of evidence and confirming that all individuals involved in the intimate videos were consenting adults.
The court emphasized that medical tests proved he had not transmitted any sexually transmitted diseases to those involved, further affirming his innocence.
GhanaWeb reports that a surprising development emerged as several married men whose wives appeared in the videos expressed gratitude to Mr. Engonga.
They revealed that the videos exposed hidden aspects of their married lives, leading some to pursue divorce.
Osun Defender recalls that this is coming after Baltasar was featured in a series of tapes making the rounds online having romantic affairs with his brother’s wife, the wife of the vice president, wife of the inspector general of police, amongst others.
Mr. Engonga announced plans to take legal action against individuals responsible for leaking the videos. He described the dissemination as a grave violation of his privacy, highlighting the emotional distress it caused his family, particularly his wife.
Before his arrest, Mr. Engonga headed the National Financial Investigation Agency, where he worked to combat crimes like money laundering.
On October 25, Mr. Engonga was detained over allegations of embezzling substantial state funds and hiding them in offshore accounts. He has not publicly addressed these accusations.
Following his arrest, Mr. Engonga was imprisoned in Malabo’s notorious Black Beach prison, known for allegations of severe mistreatment of government opponents.
Authorities seized his phones and computers during the investigation. Shortly after, the intimate videos began appearing online, adding a sensational dimension to an already complex case.
The government said in a statement that, “According to Real Equatorial Guinea, the dismissal of Mr. Engonga, the son of Baltasar Engonga Edjo (current president of the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa, CEMAC), was formalised in Decree No. 118/2024, dated November 4.
“The decree cited Mr. Engonga’s alleged misconduct in office and his family-related and social behavior as incompatible with public office.”
Reacting to the scandal, the First Lady of Equatorial Guinea, Mrs. Obiang, took to Facebook on Wednesday to call for immediate government action to protect the dignity of Equatoguinean women in the digital age.
She stated that while progress has been made in gender equality, proactive measures were necessary, not only to address such incidents but to prevent them.
It is essential to create a safe and respectful environment for all women,” she said.
