Balthazar Egonga, former director-general of National Agency for Financial Investigation —ANIF– in Equatorial Guinea, who faced charges of embezzlement, illicit enrichment, and abuse of power has been sentenced to 18 years in prison, after being found guilty of embezzling over 1 billion CFA francs of government funds.
Prosecutors alleged he misappropriated over 1 billion CFA francs and seek an 18-year sentence, a 910 million CFA franc fine, and a ban from public office.
However, his defense claims the charges are politically motivated, challenging the evidence’s credibility.
In Wednesday’s ruling, judges cited overwhelming evidence, including bank transfers, offshore accounts, and forged contracts. The prosecution described the case as “one of the largest financial betrayals of public trust in recent memory.” In the courtroom, observers noted that Baltasar Engonga remained mostly silent throughout the session.
After proper verification of all evidence, the presiding judge sentenced Egonga to 18 years’ imprisonment for embezzlement of public funds.
Balthazar Egonga gained online fame due to a massive sex tape scandal in late 2024, involving 150-400 explicit videos leaked on platforms like Telegram and WhatsApp.
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