DPP drops corruption charges against NAGRIC boss
The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has dropped corruption charges against the executive director of National Animal Genetic Resources Centre and Databank (NAGRIC), Dr Charles Lagu (pictured).
What you need to know:
- Before Dr Lagu’s arrest in 2019, he had refused to accept animal semen worth billions of shillings to be imported into the country since his institution had not ordered for it.
- The semen remained held at the airport pending approval by NAGRIC.
The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has dropped corruption charges against the executive director of National Animal Genetic Resources Centre and Databank (NAGRIC).
In a withdrawal form signed by Justice Frances Jane Abodo, she informed the Anti-Corruption Court about the discontinuation of seven counts against Dr Charles Lagu, the NAGRIC boss, and Ms Olivious Komujuni.
“This is to inform court that the Director of Public Prosecutions has decided to discontinue proceedings against Lagu Charles and Komujuni Olivious charged with four counts of abuse of office, one count of causing financial loss one count of obtaining money by false pretence and one count of conspiracy to defraud,” Justice Abodo wrote to court.
The Spokesperson of the DPP, Jacquelyn Okui confirmed the withdrawal without giving reasons.
The DPP has powers to withdraw crime charges at any level.
State House Anti-Corruption Unit personnel arrested several NAGRIC personnel, including NAGRIC procurement officer, Ezekiel Philp Mukanini, 31, Dr Lagu and Komujuni on allegations of abuse of office in 2019.
They also arrested the director of Nauruma holdings Ltd, Emmanuel Rumanzi Kafute, 37, on the same charges.
The DPP has maintained charges against the others, except Dr Lagu and Komujuni.
Dr Lagu’s lawyer, David Kamukama said “justice has finally been achieved. It has been a long journey since 2019. This is the beginning; good things are yet to come. We pray that the remaining file takes the same path”.
Before Dr Lagu’s arrest in 2019, he had refused to accept animal semen worth billions of shillings to be imported into the country since his institution had not ordered for it.
The semen remained held at the airport pending approval by NAGRIC.
Dr Lagu later reported to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations that he had received threats to harm him for blocking the semen from being imported into the country.
Police later provided him with armed security personnel for protection.
Months after, a whistle blower ran to the State House Anti-Corruption Unit alleging that he had abused his office and caused financial loss.
Armed men raided his home and arrested him on corruption charges before he was remanded to prison.
Upon getting bail, the State House Anti-Corruption Unit summoned him again to record statements over the same offences.
His lawyer Kamukama who had accompanied him to record a statement at the State House Anti-Corruption Unit, was arrested by security personnel and his mobile phone confiscated.
This prompted him to write protest letters to law enforcement agencies and refused to escort his client back to State House Anti-Corruption Unit offices.
