A United Nations judge has been jailed for six years and four months after being convicted of forcing a young Ugandan woman to work as a slave in Britain.
Lydia Mugambe, 50, was found guilty of conspiring to facilitate the commission of a breach of UK immigration law, facilitating travel with a view to exploitation, forcing someone to work, and conspiracy to intimidate a witness after a trial at Oxford Crown Court.
The trial was told Mugambe, a High Court judge in Uganda who was in the UK studying for a PhD, forced her victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, to work as her maid and provide free childcare while preventing her from holding down steady employment.
Mugambe took “advantage of her status” as a judge over her victim in the “most egregious way” and tricked her into coming to the UK, the court heard.
Jurors were also shown footage of Mugambe telling police she had “immunity” and was “not a criminal” when she was arrested by Thames Valley Police.
She told officers she had a diplomatic passport and that she came to the UK as a student who didn’t “need anyone to work for [her]”.
“I didn’t come with her, she asked me because she has worked at my home before, she asked me,” Mugambe told police.
Mugambe, who was studying for a PhD in law at the University of Oxford, was appointed to the UN‘s judicial roster in May 2023, according to her UN profile page. That was three months after police were called to her address in Oxfordshire.
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Caroline Haughey KC, for the prosecution, said in court: “Lydia Mugambe has exploited and abused [the woman], taking advantage of her lack of understanding of her rights to properly paid employment and deceiving her as to the purpose of her coming to the UK.”
The court was told the UN judge had the intention of “obtaining someone to make her life easier and at the least possible cost to herself”.
Mugambe conspired with Ugandan deputy high commissioner John Leonard Mugerwa to bring the young woman to the UK, jurors agreed.
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The pair took part in a “very dishonest” trade-off, where Mr Mugerwa arranged for the Ugandan High Commission to sponsor the woman’s entrance into the UK.
In exchange, Mugambe attempted to talk to a judge who headed a legal action Mr Mugerwa was named in, according to prosecutors.
Mugambe denied forcing the young woman to do household chores and claimed she “always” treated her with love, care and patience.
The victim told the court how she felt “lonely” and “stuck” after her working hours were limited.
