A court in Equatorial Guinea has convicted Ruslan Obiang Nsue, son of President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, for illegally selling a plane belonging to the country’s national airline.
Obiang Nsue, 50, a former director of Ceiba Intercontinental, the state airline, was found guilty of unlawfully selling an ATR 72-500 aircraft to a Spanish company and keeping the proceeds for himself.
On Tuesday, the Supreme Court ruled that he must serve six years in prison, unless he reimburses the government.
According to Supreme Court spokesperson Hilario Mitogo, Obiang Nsue could avoid jail by paying approximately $255,000 to the airline, along with additional damages and a state fine.
The court acquitted him of separate charges of embezzlement and abuse of office.
Obiang Nsue, who has also served as Secretary of State for Sports and Youth, was placed under house arrest in 2023 by his half-brother, Vice President Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue — also a son of the president.
President Obiang, 83, has ruled the oil-rich Central African country for 46 years, making him one of the world’s longest-serving leaders.
In a separate case, a French court in July 2021 sentenced Vice President Obiang Mangue to a suspended prison term and a $35 million fine for embezzlement of public funds.
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