The Government of Equatorial Guinea has implemented restrictions on its citizens regarding the downloading and sharing of multimedia files on WhatsApp when using mobile data services.
This decision was made following directives given to telecommunications companies, instructing them to take measures to curb access to inappropriate content that has been circulating online. The move aims to address the growing concern over the distribution of explicit material related to civil servants.
In a significant step towards accountability, the government has also suspended all civil servants who have been found to engage in sexual activities within ministry offices, emphasizing the need for a strict code of conduct in public service.
Additionally, as part of their crackdown on misconduct, surveillance cameras have been installed in all government offices to monitor activities and ensure compliance with regulations. This initiative is designed to deter inappropriate behavior and reinforce ethical standards among public officials.
The urgency of these measures comes in the wake of a scandal involving hundreds of sex tapes featuring a high-ranking Equatorial Guinean civil servant, Baltasar Ebang Engonga, engaging in explicit acts with various partners, including the wives of prominent officials. The videos have circulated widely on social media, prompting the authorities to take swift action to limit their spread.
In these videos, Engonga, who serves as the director of the National Financial Investigation Agency (ANIF), is seen in compromising situations at his office within the finance ministry. The implications of these leaks have caused a significant uproar, highlighting the need for accountability among public officials.
On Monday, the vice president of the country, Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue, announced on X that the government would enforce the “immediate suspension of all civil servants who have had sexual relations in the offices of the ministries, as this constitutes a flagrant violation of the code of conduct and the law on public ethics.” This announcement reflects the seriousness with which the government is addressing this scandal, which has reached unprecedented levels of notoriety due to the officials involved.
This incident is not the first of its kind; however, it has escalated to alarming heights given the status of the individuals implicated. Last week, Obiang stated that he had issued a 24-hour ultimatum to Equatorial Guinea’s telecommunications ministry, regulatory bodies, and telecommunications companies to “curb the distribution of pornographic videos that are flooding social networks in Equatorial Guinea.”[/p>
“As the government, we cannot continue to see families destroyed,” the vice president in charge of defence and security declared, underscoring the social implications of the scandal. Reports indicate that the explicit videos initially spread through WhatsApp groups before being posted on various social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and X, leading to widespread public outrage.
Engonga, who is nicknamed “Bello” due to his attractive appearance, is a married father and the son of Baltasar Engonga Edjo, the current Chairman of the Commission of the Central African Economic and Monetary Community. He is also related to the country's long-serving president, further complicating the political landscape surrounding the scandal.
The release of the sex tapes coincided with Engonga’s remand in custody at Malabo’s infamous Black Beach prison, where he was being held in connection with a case involving the embezzlement of public funds, as reported by the state television station TVGE.
Equatorial Guinea’s chief prosecutor, Anatolio Nzang Nguema, assured TVGE that if medical examinations indicated that Engonga was “infected with a sexually transmitted disease,” he would face prosecution for an offense against “public health.” This statement highlights the potential legal ramifications of the scandal beyond the immediate concerns of public morality.[/p>
Reports from witnesses indicate that the flow of internet traffic, particularly the downloading of images, has been severely disrupted in the country following the government's efforts to curtail the distribution of the sex tapes. Social media is rife with speculation that more explicit videos involving various individuals could emerge in the coming days, potentially widening the scandal further.
In a follow-up post on Tuesday, the vice president announced the installation of surveillance cameras in all government offices. He stated, “We have taken this measure to ensure compliance with the law on public officials and to eradicate improper and illicit behavior.” This step reflects the government's commitment to maintaining ethical standards and preventing further scandals in the future.