Equatorial Guinea has jailed two senior officials this week, including Ruslan Obiang Nsue, one of the sons of President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo.
On Tuesday, a court in Bioko convicted Ruslan Obiang Nsue of illegally selling a plane owned by the national carrier, Ceiba Intercontinental, during his tenure as the company’s director.
Authorities opened an investigation in November 2022 after discovering the disappearance the ATR 72-500 aircraft, which had been undergoing routine maintenance in Spain since 2018.
It then established that 50-year-old Obiang Nsue sold the aircraft to a Spanish maintenance company and pocketed the money.
On Wednesday, the same court handed an eight-year jail term to Baltasar Ebang Engonga for embezzlement of public funds.
A former head of the National Agency for Financial Investigation and nephew to the country’s leader, the 55-year-old Engonga had, however, become infamous for leaked sex tapes involving him and different women.
The videos went viral in November last year, some filmed in his office at the Ministry of Finance with other government officials’ wives.
The videos were reportedly recovered after authorities raided his communication gadgets while investigating the embezzlement case.
Hilario Mitogo Miko Mikue, the country’s the Supreme Court of Justice Director-General of Press, confirmed Wednesday’s verdict. He added that the former senior government official was also levied a financial fine of FCFA 125,4 million ($222,000).
The court ruled that Engonga was guilty of diverting money claimed as professional travel expenses for personal use. The tribunal found that amounts ranging between $8,900 and $221,500 were used for personal purposes under the cover of travel and mission expenses already financed by the State
