KAMPALA – The embattled Executive Director of the National Animal Genetic Resources Centre and Data Bank (NAGRC&DB), Dr Charles Lagu, has appealed to the President and Parliament to reign in on the mafia that is harassing him.
Dr Lagu, who is out on bail, was on May 6 interdicted over corruption charges. He together with Philip Ezekiel Mukani, the procurement officer, Olivious Komujuni, Animal Husbandry officer, and the director of Nuruma Holdings Limited, Mr Emmanuel Kafute Rumanzi, were charged with corruption before Makindye Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, April, 29.
But on Tuesday, July 7, 2020, Dr Lagu said some known army officers have continued to harass him by threatening violence against him and some members of his family.
“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.
“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 added.
He revealed that since November 2019, he has been under extreme persecution, torment, witch-hunt, blackmail and serious harassment by some state actors.
“The harassment has unfortunately stressed and directly affected innocent members of my family especially my wife and children.”
He insisted the charges are meant to haunt, blackmail and tarnish his public image by a group of individuals with their own selfish interests.