Malabo, Equatorial Guinea – The high-profile corruption trial of Baltasar Ebang Engonga, former director-general of the National Financial Investigation Agency (ANIF), began on June 30.
Engonga, known for his leaked sextapes, faces charges of embezzlement, illicit enrichment, and abuse of office.
The prosecution alleges Engonga orchestrated an elaborate scheme to siphon off public funds during his tenure as head of the Directorate General of Insurance and Reinsurance (DGAR) from 2015 to 2020.
The national prosecutor has requested an exceptionally heavy sentence: 8 years for embezzlement, 4 years and 5 months for illicit enrichment, and 6 years and 1 day for abuse of office.
The charges also carry a proposed fine exceeding 910 million CFA francs (approximately $1.5 million) and a ban on holding public office.
Engonga’s defense team has condemned the charges as politically motivated and challenged the credibility of the evidence.
The trial is ongoing, with proceedings scheduled to continue this week. Six other former senior civil servants are also accused of misappropriating funds in a widespread network of financial malpractice.
A verdict is expected in the coming days.
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