How NAGRIC ED Dr Lagu was Netted over Corruption, Abuse of Office

An investigation report has revealed how Dr Charles Lagu, the Executive director of National Animal Genetic Resource Center and Data Bank (NAGRIC & DB) allegedly abused a public office before he was trapped and arrested by the State House Anti-Corruption Unit.

Dr Lagu was recently arrested at his home in Mbarara District and later on charged with corruption at Buganda Road Court and remanded to Kitalya Prison pending his bail application. Today (Friday) he returned to court and is expected to be released on bail.

While in prison, Lagu was interdicted by his line Minister Minister Vincent Bamulanzeki Sempijja who directed Board Chairman Dr. Johnson Nkuuhe to immediately find his replacement.

"My attention has been drawn to the fact that you, together with 3 others were arraigned in Court and charged with a number of counts including; abuse of office, causing financial loss and conscripacy to defraud government... I have decided to interdict you from duty, to pave way for investigations to take place unhindered," Sempijja said.

According to investigators, Dr Lagu had turned the public office into a home affair to serve his personal interests where he was allegedly handed over government property to individuals as he wished. It is said that Lagu had created allies within government who benefited from his schemes and in return pay allegiance and protection in case trouble arises. That is why many MPs, Ministers and other prominent Ugandans have come out to defend Lagu as reputable but mostly they are fighting his interdiction. This website obtained files with names of over 1000 Ugandans who have been “gifted” with animals including hens, goats, pigs and cows from NAGRIC farms. MPs from West Nile were given 200 brooded goats and 5000 chicken. It should be noted that the process of brooding these animals is costly and is facilitated by tax payers’ money.

Investigators are also probing how brooded bulls totaling to 51 disappeared from NAGRIC stock farms which include Aswa, Kasolwe, Lusenke, Njeru, Rubona and many others across the country without accountability.

However, Lagu claims that he had donated the bulls to Hon Sempijja during the Kalungu NRM celebrations event We have since established that the bulls Lagu brought to the function were not 41 as alleged but 10. Apparently, he didn’t hand over the bull on the Minister’s orders as earlier alleged but he willingly contributed them.

(Additional reporting by the Trumpet)