Equatorial Guinea has once again been thrust into the spotlight following the sentencing of Ruslan Obiang Nsue, son of President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, to six years in prison for corruption-related charges.
According to the country’s Supreme Court, the 50-year-old Obiang Nsue, who once served as head of the national airline, Ceiba Intercontinental, was convicted for illegally selling an ATR 72-500 aircraft belonging to the state carrier. Court officials revealed that he diverted the proceeds of the sale, allegedly made to a Spanish company, into his personal account.
Confirming the ruling on Tuesday, Supreme Court press director Hilario Mitogo stated:
“The court has found Ruslan Obiang Nsue guilty of the illicit sale of a national aircraft and misappropriation of funds.”
However, in a twist, the judgment provides Obiang Nsue with an option to avoid serving his prison term if he repays approximately $255,000 to the airline, alongside fines and damages owed to the state.
The former government official, who also previously held the position of Secretary of State for Sports and Youth, had been under house arrest since 2023. His detention was ordered by his half-brother, Vice President Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue, who is also the son of the long-ruling president.
While the court cleared him of separate charges of embezzlement and abuse of office, his conviction adds to the growing list of high-profile corruption scandals involving members of Equatorial Guinea’s ruling family.
President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, who has been in power for more than 46 years, is the world’s longest-serving head of state. The oil-rich Central African nation has long faced criticism for corruption and mismanagement of public resources, with the president’s family frequently at the center of international controversies.
