Any government employee who takes part in any form of sexual acts in the office would be suspended from work and made to face “severe measures”, the vice-president of Equatorial Guinea has warned.
Vice President Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue has therefore ordered the immediate installation of Closed-circuit television (CCTV video surveillance cameras in government offices including the courts and the ministries so that workers who get intimate would be caught on camera and published.
The vice President said having sex in the office amounts to an “indecent and illicit act” and a “flagrant violation of the code of conduct” in his country
Vice President Teodoro Mangue gave the directive after his country raised eyebrows around the world as hundreds of home-made videos alleged to be pornographic starring a senior Civil Servant and featuring hundreds of high ranking women in the country went viral the world over.
Director General of the National Financial Investigation Agency (ANIF), Baltasar Ebang Engonga, alleged to be the man in the sex tapes has since been arrested and some of the over 400 women, who are civil servants, suspended from work.
The sex videos reportedly include hot sex rounds with high-profile individuals, such as his own brother’s wife, his cousin, the sister of the President, the Director General of Police’s wife, and several of the country’s cabinet ministers’ wives, pastor’s wives, a pregnant woman, among others.
Interestingly, some of the videos were said to have been recorded with consent but
Equatorial Guinea’s AhoraEG, a credible news outlet reports that the male star in the video, Baltasar EBANG ENGONGA, better known as “Bello”, could still be prosecuted even if the videos were recorded with consent.
The report said “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, and even in the protagonist’s office at the Ministry of Finance.
“This case raises serious concerns about public health in Equatorial Guinea, given the potential risk of transmission of sexually transmitted diseases.
“The Attorney General of the Republic 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.
“The Attorney General has emphasised that the risk is not only for the women involved, but also for their partners and the wider community.
“The possibility of a contagious disease being spread through these sexual interactions makes the situation even more critical.
“Nzang Nguema has also 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.”