Equatorial Guinea is witnessing a significant crackdown on corruption, marked by landmark legal proceedings against high-ranking officials and even members of the presidential family. These cases highlight the government's stated commitment to fighting financial malfeasance and addressing long-standing international concerns regarding transparency and governance in the oil-rich nation.

One of the prominent cases involves Baltasar Ebang Engonga, formerly the director of the National Treasury and later the director general of the National Agency for Financial Investigation. Engonga, described as a nephew of President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo and part of the extended political elite, was sentenced to eight years in prison by the Bioko provincial tribunal in Malabo. He was found guilty of embezzling public funds, specifically by fraudulently diverting sums declared as professional travel and mission costs for personal gain. The court imposed a fine of $200,000, equivalent to CFA125.4 million, and a ban from holding any future public office. Engonga had initially gained international attention in late 2024 when explicit videos, allegedly involving him, were leaked online while he was in pre-trial detention, with authorities stating the material was discovered during searches related to the financial probe.

In a separate but equally significant ruling, Ruslan Obiang Nsue, a son of President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, was convicted over the unauthorized sale of an ATR 72-500 aircraft belonging to the national carrier, Ceiba Intercontinental. The Supreme Court ordered Ruslan Obiang Nsue, 50, to serve six years in prison, with the condition that he could avoid immediate incarceration if he reimburses the state approximately $255,000 (Sh32,895,000) to the airline and meets additional court-ordered compensation and state fines. While serving as a senior official at Ceiba Intercontinental, judges found that he sold the aircraft to a Spanish firm and retained the proceeds. The plane had been undergoing maintenance in Spain since 2018 and disappeared from company records during that period. Ruslan Obiang Nsue, who has also held government posts including Secretary of State for Sports and Youth, had been under house arrest since January 2023, following his detention ordered by his half-brother, Vice-President Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue, known as Teodorin. He was, however, acquitted of separate charges including embezzlement and abuse of office.

These convictions represent a rare judicial assertion of accountability for senior political figures, including those closely linked to the ruling family. While public reaction has been mixed, with some welcoming the move towards accountability and others expressing skepticism about political motivations, the cases have undeniably brought issues of financial integrity and governance to the forefront of national discourse. Observers note that these prosecutions occur against a backdrop of longstanding international concerns about corruption in Equatorial Guinea, making these verdicts a powerful signal of the current administration's stance on combating illicit financial activities.