Baltasar Ebang Engonga, a top Equatorial Guinean official and the director general of the country’s Anti-graft National Agency for Financial Investigation (ANIF), is at the centre of a major scandal involving explicit videos, some featuring prominent figures and spouses of officials, according to Real Equatorial Guinea.

The videos, reportedly uncovered during a fraud investigation, have sparked outrage and disciplinary warnings from the nation’s leadership.

Officials discovered over 400 explicit videos allegedly featuring Engonga with various women, including relatives of government figures, when they searched his home and office as part of an inquiry.

The footage, found on his office premises, is reported to include encounters with the wives of several high-ranking officials, such as the sister of the president, the wife of the police director general, and around 20 ministers’ wives, among others. All encounters were recorded with the participants’ consent, and scenes were reportedly filmed across various locations, including his office, hotels, and toilets.

In response to the controversy, Vice President Teodoro Nquema addressed the situation publicly via X (formerly Twitter), stating that sexual activities in administrative workplaces are strictly banned. He issued a stern warning, underscoring the repercussions for any such violations.

“Given the abuse that has been shown on social media in Equatorial Guinea in recent days, and remembering that ministries are solely and exclusively for carrying out administrative work in support of the country’s development, sexual relations in offices are prohibited,” he wrote. “Control mechanisms are already in place, and anyone who violates this rule again will be subject to disciplinary proceedings for indecent conduct and will be dismissed from their job.”

Engonga, 54, whose role in ANIF is to supervise financial investigations and lead efforts to curb corruption, now faces potential disciplinary action. He is the son of Baltasar Engonga Edjoo, the president of the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC).

Married with six children, Engonga’s career as a government official could be under significant strain as Equatorial Guinea’s leadership looks to control the scandal’s fallout amid widespread social media coverage.