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Mercenary and coup plotter Simon Mann dies
2025-05-10
[BBC] Former British Army officer and mercenary Simon Mann, who was part of a coup attempt in Equatorial Guinea in 2004, has died of a heart attack while exercising, friends confirmed.

The 72-year-old made millions of pounds from protecting businesses in conflict zones before he took part in the failed attempt to overthrow the west African nation's ruler.

Mann was sentenced to 34 years in prison on arms charges and later said he had been the "manager, not the architect" of the scheme.

In 2009, the ex-SAS commando was pardoned, released and given 48 hours to leave the country.

The plot had been an attempt to overthrow President Teodoro Obiang Nguema - at the time Mann and co-conspirators said the aim was to install exiled opposition leader Severo Moto.

It was uncovered after police in Zimbabwe's capital Harare impounded a plane which had flown in from South Africa.

Mann and more than 60 others were arrested, amid claims they were mercenaries.

They said they were providing security for a mine in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Mann attended private boys' school Eton before studying at Sandhurst Royal Military Academy and then joining the Scots Guards.

He became a member of the SAS - the army's special forces unit - and rose through the ranks to become a commander.

In 2011, he said the attempted coup in Equatorial Guinea - which saw him arrested with fellow mercenaries after trying to load weapons onto a plane in Zimbabwe - was foiled by the CIA.

After serving three years of his 34-year sentence in Zimbabwe, he was moved to Black Beach Prison in Equatorial Guinea.

Speaking in 2011 about that move, he said "friends, family, and enemies" had told him "if that happens, you have had it, you're a dead man".

After being pardoned and released, he expressed regret for what he had done, saying that "however good the money is", the moral case "has to stack up".
Related:
Simon Mann 05/22/2017 Former mercenary Simon Mann reveals thriller he wrote in jail
Simon Mann 12/01/2009 President of Equatorial Guinea on course to extend three-decade rule
Simon Mann 11/27/2009 The £400k Mann

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Africa Subsaharan
Equatorial Guinea official arrested over 400 sex tapes with President''s sister, high-profile women
2024-11-06
[AFRICANEWS] Equatorial Guinea's Director General of the National Financial Investigation Agency (ANIF), Baltasar Engonga, has been arrested following allegations that he recorded more than 400 explicit videos featuring the wives of prominent public figures in the country.

The scandal emerged during a separate investigation into fraud allegations against Engonga, aged 54, when authorities uncovered a trove of CDs containing explicit material during searches of his home and office.

Among the people implicated in the recordings are high-ranking officials' spouses, including the wife of the Director General of Police, close family members, and relatives of senior government figures, including the sister of President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo and spouses of multiple government ministers.

The videos reportedly feature encounters in various locations, including Engonga's office, sometimes with the national flag visible in the background.

The recordings were reportedly consensual but have since been leaked online, leading to widespread public outrage and intense scrutiny from local media. Reports by Ahora EG describe the revelations as unprecedented in the country's history, exposing what it called ''flagrant violations'' of ethical standards by a senior public official.

Known locally by the nickname ''Bello,'' Engonga's position has now become a focal point of national controversy, with allegations spanning multiple high-profile individuals.

Equatorial Guinea's Attorney General Nzang Nguema commented on the scandal, clarifying that consensual relations without coercion are not criminal under current laws.

However, he raised concerns over public health risks and emphasized the importance of a supportive environment for reporting any instances of non-consensual encounters or abuse.

The Attorney General also noted the potential risk of sexually transmitted diseases arising from Engonga's alleged activities, adding urgency to the government's response.

Following the scandal, the government swiftly enacted a suspension of officials involved in any sexual conduct within ministry offices as part of a broader ''zero tolerance'' stance on behavior that compromises public trust.

Vice President Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue condemned the actions in a statement on X (formerly Twitter), underscoring that ''ethics and respect are fundamental in our Administration'' and reaffirming the nation's commitment to enforcing public service integrity.

The case has highlighted the government's dedication to maintaining a professional and ethical standard across its institutions. Officials have stated that they aim to prevent future breaches of public trust and reinforce a respectful workplace culture.
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Africa Subsaharan
Central African bloc suspends Gabon over coup
2023-09-06
[AFRICANEWS] The Central African regional bloc, known as ECCAS, has announced the suspension of Gabon's membership.

This development comes as General Brice Oligui Nguema was sworn in as the transitional president on Monday, consolidating his grip on power.

The coup unfolded shortly after Ali Bongo was declared the winner of a controversial third term as president. However,
Switzerland makes more than cheese...
 General Nguema has not provided a clear timeline for the return to civilian rule in Gabon, leaving the nation in a state of uncertainty.

During a pivotal meeting where leaders from Central Africa gathered to discuss Gabon's suspension, moments of introspection may have emerged.

Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, the President of Equatorial Guinea, presided over this gathering and voiced concerns about Gabon's impact on regional peace, security, and stability.

President Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, now 81 years old, has been at the helm of Equatorial Guinea since 1979. Much like Ali Bongo's family in Gabon, the Obiang Nguema family has faced allegations of massive embezzlement of state resources and harsh repression of political opposition.

This situation in Central Africa highlights a broader issue on the African continent, where several long-standing leaders have remained in power for extended periods and are understandably apprehensive about any talk of a "coup."

The suspension of Gabon from ECCAS serves as a significant development in the region, shedding light on the ongoing challenges surrounding leadership, governance, and stability in Central Africa.

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Africa Subsaharan
Rights group accuses E.Guinea security forces of thrashing leader
2018-10-30
[PULSE.NG] Activists in Equatorial Guinea alleged Monday that plainclothes security forces snatched and beat up the head of their human rights
One man's rights are another man's existential threat.
 and development organization at the weekend.

Alfredo Okenve was "sequestered... (and) mistreated by security forces wearing civilian clothes", the Centre for Studies and Initiatives for the Development of Equatorial Guinea (CEID-GE) said in a statement.

A relative of Okenve's, Analeto Medja, told AFP: "He was taking his brother to the airport. Four people stopped his car and forced him at gunpoint to get into theirs. They took him to some wasteland and beat him hard until he was bleeding, then they left him there."

Residents close to the scene took Okenve to a hospital in Bata, Equatorial Guinea's economic capital on Africa's Atlantic seaboard, Medja and other family members said.

The oil-rich country's political capital is Malabo on the island of Bioko, lying off the coast of Cameroon
...a long, narrow country that fills the space between Nigeria and Chad on the northeast, CAR to the southeast. Prior to incursions by Boko Haram nothing ever happened there...
 to the northwest of the mainland and its dense tropical forests.

The identity of the men in civilian clothes who attacked Okenve was unclear on Monday, but carrying firearms is tightly controlled by the iron-fisted regime of President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, in power since 1979.

The affair was being followed widely on social networks on Monday, but there was no official reaction.

CEID-GE said it would file a formal complaint, denouncing the harassment of civil society in the former Spanish colony.

Okenve was placed in durance vile
Drop the gat, Rocky, or you're a dead 'un!
 and detained for several days in April 2017 for celebrating the 20th anniversary of the CEID-GE. He was released after a bail payment of two million CFA francs (about 3,000 euros, nearly $3,500).

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Africa Subsaharan
Equatorial Guinea: UN Dispatches Envoy Amid Reports of Failed Coup
2018-01-06
[All Africa] The United Nations
...an idea whose time has gone...
 has said it will send an envoy to Equatorial Guinea after officials there announced that they had thwarted a December 24 coup attempt mounted by foreign mercenaries against President Teodoro Obiang Nguema.

A front man said Thursday that the UN's West Africa envoy, Francois Louceny Fall, would travel to the capital, Malabo, next week.

He said that while "little information" was available about the alleged coup attempt, "we condemn all attempts to seize power unconstitutionally" in the country.

Malabo's security minister, Mahamat Zen Cherif, made a televised statement on Wednesday saying that a group of mercenaries from Chad, Sudan and Central African Republic had tried to infiltrate Equatorial Guinea at the instigation of "certain radical opposition parties."

Hours after his televised statements, state broadcaster TGVE reported festivities on the border with Cameroon
...a long, narrow country that fills the space between Nigeria and Chad on the northeast, CAR to the southeast. Prior to incursions by Boko Haram nothing ever happened there...
 in which one "mercenary " was killed. Then, on December 27, Cameroon said it placed in durance vile
You have the right to remain silent...
 38 heavily gunnies at the border, including an ex-general from the Chadian army.

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Africa Subsaharan
Sick African dictator 'eats his enemies' nads and brains to boost his sexual prowess'
2016-09-12
[Mirror] The president of Equatorial Guinea may not be a household name - however those who have survived his brutal regime claim he is pure evil.

Teodoro Obiang Nguema, 74, has ruled over the country since 1979. Known as "torturer-in-chief", his rise to power saw him overthrow his uncle - Francisco Macias N'Guema - taking revenge after the ruler had his family murdered.

Since taking power, those who politically opposed him have been subjected to torture and oppression.

However many claim his depravity goes even deeper. It is alleged that Nguema is a cannibal.
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Africa Subsaharan
World’s longest-serving president just won a sixth term with 99% of the vote
2016-04-27
[WASHINGTONPOST] Teodoro Obiang Nguema has never received less than 97 percent of the vote in an election. On Monday, with partial results indicating that 99.2 percent of the vote has gone in his favor, Equatorial Guinea's leader was surely all set for another seven years in a seat that has no doubt molded to his figure.

One-sixth of African countries have an executive who has been in power for more than 20 years — that's nine out of 54. Obiang, who took power nearly 37 years ago in a bloody coup, is in the company of Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe (who turned 92 in February), Isaias Afwerki of Eritrea and King Mswati III of Swaziland. But Obiang is most similar to — and most closely followed in terms of the number of years in office by — José Eduardo dos Santos of Angola.

Dos Santos and Obiang preside over Africa's No. 2 and 3 crude-oil producers, respectively, and are accused of embezzling much of the resulting wealth, while not distributing it fairly, if at all, to their citizens. Equatorial Guinea, once a Spanish colony, has the biggest gap of any country worldwide between its per-capita wealth and its human development index — a sure sign that there are a few outliers skewing the per-capita figure way upward.

Obiang triumphed over six other candidates, winning all but 326 of the 40,926 votes counted, according to a government-run website.
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Africa Subsaharan
Equatorial Guinea opposition slams 99 per cent referendum win as sham
2011-11-15
[Daily Nation (Kenya)] Equatorial Guinea's small but vocal opposition on Monday ridiculed official results of a referendum showing 99 percent of voters approved President Teodoro Obiang Nguema's new constitution.

The oil-rich west African country voted Sunday on a constitutional reform that caps presidential terms but could allow Africa's longest-serving leader to cling on for years whilst grooming his controversial son for succession.

With 60 percent of votes counted, "99.04 percent voted yes and 0.96 percent no," Information Minister and government front man Jeronimo Osa Osa Ecoro announced overnight, adding that definitive results were expected on Wednesday.

Equatorial Guinea was long seen as one of Africa's most brutal and corrupt regimes but Obiang, now at the helm of sub-Saharan Africa's third oil producer, has embarked on a charm offensive to improve his image.

The proposed constitution limits presidential terms to two seven-year mandates but does not specify how Obiang himself, whose current tenure ends in 2016, will be affected.

It also creates a post of vice-president, a move the opposition and observers see as the first step towards handing power over to the president's big-spending playboy son Teodoro Obiang Mangue.

"It is a completely irrational dictatorship. Results topping 90% are the sign of a totalitarian regime. These results are fraudulent and have been fabricated," the country's only opposition politician Placido Mico told AFP by phone from Malabo.
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International-UN-NGOs
Corrupt African ruler to get UN prize in his name
2011-09-30
Aaay-Peee story so just a taste here.
DAKAR, Senegal -- The African heads of state who converged on the capital of Equatorial Guinea this summer are used to life's finer things - yet even they were impressed.

The minuscule nation located on the coast of Central Africa spent several times its yearly education budget to build a new $800 million resort in which to house the presidents attending this summer's African Union summit.

Besides an 18-hole golf course, a five-star hotel and a spa, the country built a villa for each of the continent's 52 presidents. Each one came with a gourmet chef and a private elevator leading to a suite overlooking the mile-long artificial beach that had been sculpted out of the country's coast especially for them.

Western diplomats say that the charm offensive worked, and on Friday the United Nations' cultural arm may be forced to create a prize named after Equatorial Guinea's notoriously corrupt president, due to a resolution passed in June by the presidents staying at the lavish resort.

If that happens President Teodoro Obiang Nguema, a man whose regime is accused of gross human rights violations, will be associated with an organization whose stated mission is the promotion of peace and human rights through cultural dialogue.

During the AU summit this summer, Obiang succeeded in getting the body to pass a motion calling on UNESCO to approve a prize named in his honor.
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Africa Subsaharan
AU new deal to help Ouattara exercise power
2011-01-31
[The Nation (Nairobi)] African leaders will make a fresh bid to resolve the Ivory Coast crisis and respond to the latest political uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt at a two-day summit starting Sunday.

Pre-summit meetings at the African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa made a new proposal to task five heads of state to reach a deal to end the two-month leadership wrangle between Ivorian strongman Laurent Gbagbo and Alassane Ouattara, recognised as winner of their disputed November polls.

The panel will aim to help Ouattara "exercise power" through a negotiated deal, AU Commission chief Jean Ping said on the eve of the summit.

"There was a reaffirmation of the decision to recognise Ouattara as the president-elect," he told news hounds.

The AU mediator to the crisis, Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga, urged the summit to send a "strong and unequivocal message that the two parties must negotiate face-to-face."

The AU's efforts to end the Ivorian crisis and respond to the uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt come as it is poised to appoint as its chairman Equatorial Guinea's President Teodoro Obiang Nguema who himself came to power through a coup in 1979.

The AU has yet to react to the popular revolt in Tunisia where weeks of protests ended the 23-year-old rule of president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.

On Saturday the bloc said it was "concerned" by the political unrest in Egypt which has claimed over 100 lives in five days.

"Egypt is going through a situation which we need to observe. It is a worrying situation," Ping told news hounds Saturday.

"After what happened in Tunisia, we are observing the events elsewhere and we are concerned," he added.
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Africa Subsaharan
President of Equatorial Guinea on course to extend three-decade rule
2009-12-01
Here's another surprising election result. Daley and the boys in the precincts of Bridgeport could learn from these guys.
President Teodoro Obiang Nguema of Equatorial Guinea, who has ruled for three decades, is to extend his grip on power for seven more years after winning 96.7% of the vote in an election. The figure was published on the government's website today after returns from about a quarter of voting stations, but the opposition has refused to accept the result amid accusations of fraud and intimidation. The Convergence for Social Democracy, one of the few parties that contested the presidential poll, said one of its electoral officials was forced with a pistol held to his head to sign off on a vote count. It also said that district and provincial electoral officials voted for entire populations in villages. Final results are expected on 7 December.

Turnout appeared weak, according to a witness in the capital Malabo, with polling stations guarded by soldiers, and streets empty after a temporary ban on car travel was imposed last week.

Human rights groups describe the government of Equatorial Guinea as one of the most corrupt and abusive in the world. Ahead of the vote, Human Rights Watch, the New York-based group, said the government had stifled and harassed the country's beleaguered political opposition, denying it equal access to the media, and imposing serious constraints on international observers.

The former Spanish colony has been ruled by Obiang since 1979, when he seized power from his uncle in a coup. In the last presidential election in 2002, Obiang took 97%. Earlier this month, he vowed to exceed that margin, calling himself the "candidate of the people."

Obiang has faced several threats from abroad, including a 2004 coup attempt led by Simon Mann, the former British mercenary who was pardoned in November and freed from a sentence of 34 years' jail for his part in the plot. Earlier this year seaborne gunmen suspected to be militants from Nigeria's unstable Niger Delta attacked his palace.

Obiang faced growing criticism that the country's oil wealth has not improved conditions for the 650,000 inhabitants of this tiny west African state.
Was it supposed to? Has it ever? Oil is poison to an underdeveloped state.
HRW says Obiang's rampant corruption drains funds that could be used for education and health care, pointing out that development indicators are among the lowest in sub-Saharan Africa even though Equatorial Guinea is the richest country in the region on a GDP-per-capita basis.

Obiang's eldest son and possible successor, known by his nickname Teodorin, is accused of financing a lavish lifestyle with his total spending on mansions, exotic cars, and other luxury goods in 2004-2007 amounting to almost double the government's 2005 budget for education.
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Africa Subsaharan
Show trial for British mercenary accused of Guinea plot
2008-06-15
Simon Mann, the Old Etonian mercenary accused of plotting a coup against the president of Equatorial Guinea, Teodoro Obiang Nguema, will appear in the dock on Tuesday amid growing evidence that the government in the capital, Malabo, is planning a show trial designed to embarrass its enemies.
I'm tearing up .. no wait, it's the Visine ...
After claims by Amnesty International that a group of Mann's alleged co-conspirators - including the leader of the alleged advance party, Nick du Toit - was denied a fair trial in 2004, Equatorial Guinea's government is again deploying the tactics it has used to ensure the outcome of three previous trials since 1998. Amnesty says it has been told that Mann's local lawyer, Ponciano Mbomio Nvo - who had said he planned to introduce a plea of not guilty despite Mann's confession - has been suspended from practising law for 'defaming' the president, a ploy the authorities in Malabo have used a number of times before to interfere with the defence in political trials.

The case against Mann and his fellow defendants, claims Amnesty, was completed only last Thursday. The next day the country's attorney general announced the date of the three-day trial, giving the defence almost no time to look at it. Under Equatorial Guinea's trial law - a system modelled on Spain's system of investigating magistrates - both the prosecution and defence are supposed to have several weeks to 'qualify' or challenge the case.

Amnesty is also concerned that Mann's trial will follow the pattern set in previous major cases, where no material evidence is presented and the judge instead relies on confessions extracted under torture or duress. The location of the three-day trial is being kept a closely guarded secret until the opening day, with high security at the country's ports.

Mann, a former officer in the SAS, was arrested in 2004 with 70 other men when his plane landed in Zimbabwe to collect a shipment of arms purchased from the country's state arms manufacturer. Another group, which included du Toit, was arrested in Equatorial Guinea itself. Together they were accused of hatching a plot to overthrow the country's president, who seized power in a coup in 1979.
I must say that I'm having trouble working up much sympathy for a Euro caught in a coup attempt in Africa ...
The heir to a brewing fortune and the son and grandson of England cricket captains, Mann - who co-founded the controversial mercenary company Sandline with Tim Spicer - was extradited to Equatorial Guinea earlier this year after serving almost four years of a sentence in Zimbabwe for buying arms illegally.

Although Mann 'confessed' in a television interview that he was the 'manager' of the plot, he denied he was the 'main man'. He did, however, implicate Mark Thatcher, son of the former prime minister Margaret Thatcher, as part of the conspiracy. Mann's family has said the interview was given 'under duress' from the authorities in Malabo, as part of a plea bargain to mitigate a sentence which potentially could have carried the death penalty.
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