Interdicted NAGRC boss, Dr.Lagu says he is being targeted by mafia

Interdicted Executive Director of the National Animal Genetic Resources Centre and Data Bank (NAGRC&DB), Dr Charles Lagu has said he is being targeted by a group of individuals for their own interests.

Lagu who is currently battling with charges related to corruption and abuse of office was on May,6, 2020 asked by the Agriculture Minister, Vincent Bamulanzeeki Ssempijja to step out of office to allow for investigations into his case.

He was later arraigned before court and remanded before he secured bail.

Addressing journalists on Tuesday, Lagu said there is a calculate schemed targeting him over unknown reasons.

“Everybody concerned is aware that I competed for the NAGRC Executive Director job  and emerged the best candidate. However, since November 2019, I have been under extreme persecution, torment, witch-hunt, blackmail and serious harassment by some state actors,” Lagu said.

“The harassment has unfortunately stressed and directly affected innocent members of my family especially my wife and children.”

Lagu was in May arrested by police from his home in Mbarara before being detained.

However, the embattled NAGRC boss said he has been subjected to “baseless” and “tramped” up charges before the State House Anti Corruption Unit for the past nine months.

He insisted the charges are meant to haunt, blackmail and tarnish his public image by a group of individuals with their own selfish interests.

According to Dr.Lagu some of the people pushing for his charges are UPDF and police officers whom he said are doing so for their own interests and not meant for the public good.

“Some of these officers have been implicated in threatening violence against me and my family and the planned extortion of money from me. I was granted bail by the Anti-Corruption court but it is disheartening and confusing for the very case that I was granted bail  is still the same matter the State House Anti-Corruption Unit  has persistently demanded me to report to their office on a weekly basis,” Lagu said.

He noted that as a law abiding citizen, he will continue complying with any criminal investigations and proceedings against him if done in a “proper” manner.

“I call upon the president, speaker of parliament, the head of the judiciary, DPP, CDF, and IGP to reign over the errant UPDF and police officers who are already implicated in  the case of threatening violence towards me,” he said.