Prosecutors in Malabo, the capital of Equatorial Guinea, are seeking an 18-year prison sentence and a fine of 500 million Central African francs ($850,000) for Ruslan Obiang Nsue, son of President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo. The defendant is accused of selling an unauthorized aircraft in 2020, news agency Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported.

Obiang Nsue’s trial is taking place before the Malabo Court of First Instance, which adjourned the case this week without announcing a timetable for the verdict.

He is accused, among other things, of abuse of office, misappropriation of public funds and embezzlement of state funds in connection with the alleged illicit sale of the ATR72-500 3C-LLI (MSN 790) to Binter Canarias (NT, Gran Canaria) while he was Deputy General Director of the national airline CEIBA Intercontinental (C2, Malabo). He was arrested in January 2023 and placed under house arrest.

This followed an investigation into the whereabouts of the aircraft launched by his older half-brother, Vice President Teodoro (Teddy) Obiang Nguema Mangue, in November 2022.

According to AFP, Obiang Nsue admitted in court his involvement in the sale, but claimed to have received only part of the proceeds, namely 125,000 euros (139,000 US dollars) of the promised 250,000 euros (278,000 US dollars).

As ch-aviation reported, Ruslan Obiang Nsue previously stated that the aircraft was sent to Binter in Gran Canaria for maintenance in May 2016, but was never serviced there due to the high costs. In 2020, he approved its dismantling for 250,000 euros to pay off debts to Spanish airport operator AENA, Binter and other creditors, some of whom had already taken legal action.