A court in Equatorial Guinea has sentenced Baltasar Ebang Engonga, the nephew of President Teodoro Obiang Nguema, to eight years in prison for embezzlement.
The Bioko Provincial Tribunal delivered the ruling on Wednesday, also imposing a fine of Sh28 million ($220,000).
Judges found Engonga guilty of diverting public funds through fraudulent travel claims and irregular expenses while serving as head of the National Financial Investigation Agency (NFIA).
Prosecutors had sought an 18-year sentence on charges of embezzlement, abuse of office and illicit enrichment, alleging damages exceeding 910 million CFA francs.
The judges, however, limited the conviction to embezzlement alone, resulting in the reduced penalty. Five other senior officials were also convicted in connection with the case.
Known by his nickname “Bello,” Engonga was once considered among the most influential figures in government, wielding authority through his NFIA post and family connections.
His downfall began late last year after hundreds of explicit sex videos allegedly recorded by him surfaced online.
The footage, which appeared to involve women linked to senior officials, spread widely on social media and embarrassed the ruling elite.
While the scandal dominated public debate, the leaked recordings were not part of the charges in court. Instead, Wednesday’s verdict centered solely on financial misconduct.
The ruling marks a rare instance of a member of the powerful Obiang family facing legal punishment.
President Obiang, who has ruled the oil-rich nation since 1979, has long been accused by critics of entrenching corruption while silencing dissent.
Analysts say the case may signal shifting dynamics within the ruling elite as succession questions intensify.
Vice President Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue, widely viewed as his father’s heir apparent, has been consolidating power amid growing family rivalries.
Rights groups have urged transparency in corruption cases, warning against politically motivated prosecutions.
Engonga’s legal team has yet to confirm whether it will appeal. For now, the once-powerful official faces years behind bars in what observers call an extraordinary fall from grace in one of Africa’s most tightly controlled states.