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Equatorial Guinea Official Arrested Over 400 Sextapes With VIPs’ Wives, Sisters

Published

9 months ago

November 5, 2024

The Director General, National Financial Investigation Agency in Equatorial Guinea, Baltasar Engonga, has been arrested for allegedly recording over 400 sextapes of the wives of notable people in the country.

The scandal emerged in the course of a fraud investigation against the 54-year-old Economist which resulted in the search of his house and office on impromptu notice by ANIF officials who came across several CDs that later revealed his sexcapades with different married women.

The videos reportedly include encounters with high-profile individuals, such as his brother’s wife, his cousin, the sister of the President of Equatorial Guinea, the Director General of Police’s wife, and about 20 of the country’s ministers’ wives, among others.

The footage, discovered in his personal office, was said to have been recorded with consent and has since been leaked online, causing a media uproar.

In a report by a local media platform, Ahora EG, since last October, Engonga has been involved in a sexual scandal unprecedented in the history of Equatorial Guinea.

The former ANIF DG better known as “Bello” had sexual relations with several women, some of them married, and filmed these intimate encounters.

The report read, “The most striking thing is that some scenes took place in his work office, including moments in which he is seen sleeping with a woman next to the National Flag. Based on this sexual scandal, the Executive has stated that the measure is a direct response to the acts that have affected the image of the country.

“With these new measures, the Government hopes to establish a clear precedent on the expected conduct of public officials in order to create a more respectful work environment in the public and private administration of Equatorial Guinea. For days now, erotic videos have been circulating on social media featuring Baltasar EBANG ENGONGA, better known as “Bello”, who is currently the Director General of the National Financial Investigation Agency (ANIF) and is currently imprisoned for alleged corruption issues.

“Baltasar EBANG ENGONGA is said to have filmed these scenes with the consent of the women themselves, which exonerates him from a possible crime of violation of integrity. In the videos, he is seen having unprotected sex with several women, including those married to powerful and well-known people in the country, but also with the most “diva and influential” single women in Equatorial Guinea. Some scenes take place in hotel rooms, houses, even in the protagonist’s office at the Ministry of Finance,” it added.

However, speaking on the viral sextapes, the Attorney General of the country, Nzang Nguema, has stressed that, although the images suggest that the women involved were not forced to participate, the law does not consider consensual sexual relations to be a crime, unless coercion or violence is proven. This highlights the importance of victims reporting situations of sexual abuse or assault.

Nguema also emphasised that the risk is not only for the women involved but also for their partners and the wider community, adding, “The possibility of a contagious disease being spread through these sexual interactions makes the situation even more critical.

He further pointed out that the onus is on victims to come forward in cases of rape or assault, highlighting the need for an environment where people feel safe and supported to report such incidents.

Reacting to the development on Monday, Equatorial Guinea has decided to take action by immediately suspending all officials who have had sexual relations in the offices of the country’s ministries.

The government claimed that the decision was part of its “zero tolerance” policy towards behaviour that compromises the integrity of the public service.

The Vice President of the Republic, Nguema Mangue, has pointed out that these behaviours constitute a flagrant violation of the Code of Conduct and the Public Ethics Law.

In his publication on X, he emphasized that “ethics and respect are fundamental in our Administration,” and that irresponsible attitudes that put citizen trust at risk will not be allowed.

Headline

Russia Strikes Ukraine After Kyiv Offers Fresh Talks

Published

6 hours ago

July 21, 2025

Editor

Russia fired a volley of drones and missiles at Ukraine early on Monday, hitting apartment blocks and a nursery in Kyiv, days after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky proposed holding a fresh round of peace talks.

Moscow has not responded to Zelensky’s call for new negotiations this week or an ultimatum by US President Donald Trump to make progress on a peace deal or face massive sanctions.

Two people were killed across the country, Zelensky said.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot arrived in the capital, Kyiv, while rescuers were still sifting through the rubble.

Zelensky condemned the strikes as an “assault on humanity” and said at least 15 other people had been wounded in the attacks, including a 12-year-old boy.

Efforts to reach a diplomatic solution to the three-year war have stalled in recent weeks.

The two sides last met for direct negotiations more than a month ago in Istanbul.

They did not make any progress towards a ceasefire, instead agreeing to a series of prisoner exchanges.

Six districts of Kyiv came under attack on Monday, sparking fires at a supermarket, multiple residential buildings and a nursery, authorities said.

An AFP reporter saw damage to multiple buildings, as well as debris and shattered glass on streets.

Russia launched 450 drones and missiles in total, according to Ukraine’s air force.

The strikes also caused damage in the western region of Ivano-Frankivsk and the eastern regions of Kharkiv and Sumy, according to Zelensky.

Meanwhile, travel chaos that began during the weekend continued in Russia, as Kyiv targeted Moscow with drones;

The attacks forced Vnukovo airport — a transport hub for the Russian government — to briefly suspend flights.

•⁠ ⁠Top French diplomat in Kyiv –

An entryway to the Lukyanivka metro station in Kyiv was also damaged by the overnight strikes.

French foreign minister Barrot condemned the attacks during a visit to the station.

“The shelters themselves are no longer entirely safe, as the metro station behind me, which is being used as a shelter for the people of Kyiv, has been targeted,” he said.

“This comes even as President Zelensky’s statement on Saturday morning, that showed Ukraine’s willingness to enter into new negotiations with Russia,” he added.

The European Union agreed on Friday an 18th package of sanctions on Moscow that targeted Russian banks and lowered a price cap on oil exports.

Barrot said the sanctions were aimed at increasing the cost of war for Russia to pressure President Vladimir Putin into negotiations.

The Kremlin said this month it was ready to continue talks with Ukraine after Trump gave Russia 50 days to strike a peace deal or face sanctions.

At talks last month, Russia outlined a list of demands, including calls for Ukraine to cede more territory and to reject all forms of Western military support.

Kyiv dismissed them as unacceptable and at the time questioned the point of further negotiations if Moscow was not willing to make concessions.

AFP

Headline

Iran Declares Holiday Amid Scorching Heatwave As Water Crisis Deepens

Published

21 hours ago

July 20, 2025

Editor

Iranian authorities have urged citizens to drastically reduce water consumption as the country battles severe shortages triggered by an intense heatwave, with temperatures surpassing 50 degrees Celsius in some parts.

According to the national meteorological service, this is Iran’s hottest week of the year so far, and conditions are expected to worsen. In Tehran, the capital, temperatures hit 40°C (104°F) on Sunday and are forecast to reach 41°C (106°F) by Monday.

Amid the heatwave in Iran and mounting pressure on water and electricity supplies, Tehran province has declared a public holiday on Wednesday. Government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani announced the social media platform X, citing the need for resource conservation.

“In light of the continued extreme heat and the necessity of conserving water and electricity, Wednesday … has been declared a holiday in Tehran province,” she wrote.

Water scarcity has long plagued Iran, especially in its arid southern provinces. The crisis has been attributed to a combination of climate change, mismanagement, and overexploitation of underground water resources. Officials warn that the reservoirs feeding Tehran are now at their lowest levels in a century, after years of declining rainfall.

Tehran city council chair, Mehdi Chamran, called on residents to conserve water to avoid further supply disruptions. Several provinces have issued similar advisories, urging citizens to cut down usage significantly.

Tehran’s provincial water management company has appealed for a minimum 20 per cent reduction in consumption to help ease the strain. Local reports from Javan, a conservative newspaper, revealed that authorities have already reduced water supplies in parts of the capital, resulting in outages lasting between 12 and 18 hours in some areas.

Energy Minister Abbas Aliabadi, in a statement on Sunday, apologised for the disruptions, explaining that the measure was necessary “to better manage resources.”

The situation adds to the growing list of climate-related challenges facing Iran, raising fresh concerns about long-term sustainability in the face of extreme weather events.

Headline

VIDEO: Passengers Jump Into Sea As Fire Guts Ferry

Published

1 day ago

July 20, 2025

Editor

Dozens of passengers were forced to jump into the sea after a fire broke out onboard a passenger ferry, KM Barcelona VA, off the coast of North Sulawesi, Indonesia, on Sunday afternoon.

The incident, which occurred around 1.30pm local time, saw chaos erupt as thick black smoke billowed from the lower decks of the vessel, triggering panic among those onboard.

Harrowing videos from the scene captured the moment passengers, many wearing orange life jackets, jumped into the water in desperation while flames tore through the ferry.

Footage showed dark smoke engulfing the skies above the burning vessel, with screams and cries for help echoing from the ship.

Some videos also depicted ferry staff assisting passengers in fastening their life jackets before they jumped overboard, as the overcrowded deck was quickly overwhelmed by the advancing inferno.

According to TheSunUS, the KM Barcelona VA, a ferry servicing the Manado-Tahuda route and nearby islands, was en route from the Talaud Islands to Manado City when the fire broke out near Talise Island, North Minahasa Regency. The vessel had been scheduled to arrive at Manado Port.

Rescue operations remain underway, with emergency teams racing to account for all passengers. Authorities have yet to confirm any casualties, and the cause of the fire is still unknown. A search and rescue post has been established at Likupang Port to coordinate efforts.

“There are KM Barcelona III, KM Venecian, and KM Cantika Lestari 9F,” a Manado KSOP officer confirmed, referring to the vessels dispatched to support the evacuation. Local fishermen and residents also joined the rescue operation, surrounding the burning ferry in small boats to assist in saving those trapped.

Images taken after the flames were subdued showed the once blue and white ferry reduced to a charred wreck, with its internal metal structure exposed and its hull completely destroyed.

Some survivors were seen staring in shock at the remains of the vessel from nearby boats.

The head of the Manado Search and Rescue Office, George Leo Mercy Randang, said: “More information will follow. We hope all passengers can be rescued first.”

Families of those onboard have been urged to stay calm and await official updates as authorities continue to gather details.

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