African state cracks down on sex at work after leaked videos
Equatorial Guinea has ordered the installation of surveillance cameras in government offices in response to a scandal involving an official who allegedly recorded hundreds of videos of himself having sex with women.
The measure is to ensure that public officials comply with the law and to combat “indecorous and illicit behavior,” the Central African nation’s vice president, Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue, said on Tuesday.
Last week, approximately 400 pornographic videos purportedly featuring Baltasar Ebang Engonga, the director of Equatorial Guinea’s National Financial Investigation Agency, went viral on social media. Engonga, who is also a relative of the country’s president, was captured having unprotected sex with multiple women, including the wives of prominent officials. Some scenes were captured in his office, according to local media. Public investigators reportedly found the tapes on his computer during a search as part of a corruption investigation.
The country’s chief prosecutor, Anatolio Nzang Nguema, has stated that the official will be subjected to medical tests to determine “whether the man deliberately used these relationships to spread a possible disease among the population.” Engonga will be prosecuted for an offense against “public health” if he is found to have been “infected with a sexually transmitted disease,” Nguema was quoted as saying on state TV.
The Equatorial Guinean government said the clips have “denigrated the image” of the country of around 1.7 million people, which has been ruled by President Teodoro Obiang since 1982.
On Monday, Vice President Obiang, son of the country’s leader, announced the “immediate” suspension of all officials who had engaged in sexual acts at work, citing a “flagrant violation of the code of conduct.” He warned that “severe” actions will be taken against such people.
“The Vice President of the Republic has recommended opening an investigation to clarify the facts and taking measures to punish offenders in order to safeguard the honor, good reputation and dignity of people,” according to a government statement.
On Tuesday, Obiang said that in addition to installing CCTV cameras, the government would beef up security in all judicial and ministerial offices.
