Shola Akinyele
Balthazar Egonga, former Director-General of Equatorial Guinea’s National Financial Investigation Agency (ANIF) and nephew to President Teodoro Obiang, is facing serious legal trouble as prosecutors seek an 18-year prison sentence for alleged embezzlement, illicit enrichment, and abuse of power. The high-profile trial, currently ongoing as of July 2, 2025, has reignited public interest following Egonga’s previous brush with controversy in the widely publicized “Bellogate” sex scandal.
Prosecutors allege that Egonga misappropriated over 1 billion CFA francs, an amount equivalent to approximately 1.67 million US dollars, during his tenure as head of the country’s financial watchdog agency. In addition to the prison term, the state is also demanding a 910 million CFA franc fine and a lifetime ban from holding public office. Egonga’s defense team has pushed back forcefully, calling the charges politically motivated and questioning the credibility of the evidence presented in court.
The legal battle comes less than a year after Egonga was thrust into the global spotlight due to the explosive leak of hundreds of explicit videos, dubbed “Bellogate.” Between 150 and 400 clips allegedly featuring Egonga surfaced online in late 2024, spreading rapidly across platforms like WhatsApp and Telegram. The scandal went viral across Africa, trending in countries such as Nigeria, Kenya, and Ghana, and sparking heated debates on social media platform X.
Despite the magnitude of the leak, Egonga was acquitted of all charges related to the sex tape scandal in November 2024. Many observers speculated that the leak was orchestrated by political enemies to discredit him, especially given his close ties to Equatorial Guinea’s ruling elite. The scandal also raised widespread concerns over digital privacy, revenge porn, and the use of personal data in political smear campaigns.
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