By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
Equatorial Guinea former Director General of the National Financial Investigation Agency (ANIF), Baltasar Engonga, has been moved to the infamous Black Beach Prison in Malabo where he is being remanded.
The Black Beach Prison is believed to be one of the most notorious prisons in Africa just as Amnesty International reported how a prisoner that was finally released some few years ago described the prison situated in the capital Malabo where he was detained as a hideout.
According to Amnesty International, the released prisoner qualified the prison as “a hole” in which the humidity makes prisoners live in infrahuman conditions due to the proximity of the sea and the land.
The high-profile imprisonment of Engonga came after the shocking allegations that he had over 400 s3x secretly recorded videos involving some married women connected to powerful figures across Equatorial Guinea.
The scandal which blew open during an ongoing investigation of fraud allegedly committed by the 54-year-old economist, led ANIF officials to carry out a swift search operation at his home and office.
During the raid, officials reportedly uncovered numerous CDs containing explicit footage of Engonga with different married women. The footage which leaked online, sparked a media frenzy and public outrage.
Expectedly, President Obiang Nguema Mbasogo responded swiftly to the unfolding scandal, issuing Decree No. 118/2024 on November 4, which terminated Engonga’s appointment. According to the decree, the dismissal was due to “irregularities committed in the exercise of his functions, as well as inappropriate family and social conduct for the performance of public duties.”
A viral video shared on social media on Friday showed Engonga in handcuffs that restrained both his hands and legs, as he made a court appearance.
The French media outlet Afrikmatin confirmed that Engonga, was officially dismissed on November 6, and subsequently transported to Malabo Central Prison, where he faces charges of corruption and embezzlement.