Equatorial Guinea’s former Director-General of the National Financial Investigation Agency, Baltasar Engonga, has been remanded in Malabo’s infamous Black Beach Prison, following an explosive scandal involving over 400 alleged sex tapes. This revelation, unearthed during a separate fraud investigation, has shocked the nation and led to Engonga’s swift removal from his position, according to reports gathered on Saturday.

Baltasar Engonga, 54, is accused of creating and retaining hundreds of tapes depicting sexual encounters with the wives of high-profile figures in Equatorial Guinea. The tapes, discovered on CDs during an unannounced search by the Anti-Money Laundering Agency (ANIF), reportedly involve multiple prominent women and have rapidly circulated on social media, igniting public outrage.

President Obiang Nguema Mbasogo dismissed Engonga on November 4, 2024, through Decree No. 118/2024, citing “irregularities committed in the exercise of his functions, as well as inappropriate family and social conduct incompatible with public duties.” The dismissal marks a rapid downfall for the former director, once a trusted figure in the country’s fight against corruption.

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A video surfaced on Friday, showing Engonga in handcuffs and visibly shackled during a court appearance, intensifying the media frenzy surrounding the case. French blog Afrikmatin confirmed that Engonga, formally dismissed on November 6, was subsequently transferred to Malabo Central Prison, where he now faces formal charges of corruption and embezzlement.

Local outlet UGStandard and Equatorial Guinea’s state television, TVGE, reported that Engonga’s recorded encounters began circulating online while he was already detained, raising serious questions about public trust in officials. According to Dubawa, an independent fact-checking platform, Engonga remains in custody on corruption charges, now awaiting further legal proceedings at Black Beach Prison, a facility infamous for its strict conditions.

The scandal has drawn widespread scrutiny to the government’s handling of high-ranking officials and prompted additional security measures, including restrictions on social media platforms like WhatsApp, to control the spread of explicit materials and public commentary related to the case.