UN judge gets 6-year sentence in UK for holding Ugandan woman as slave

A United Nations judge studying at Oxford has been sentenced in the UK for keeping a Ugandan woman as an unpaid domestic worker in her home

A United Nations (UN) judge has been sentenced to six years and four months in prison for modern slavery offences after forcing a young Ugandan woman to work as a domestic servant without pay in her Oxfordshire home, reported BBC.

 

Lydia Mugambe, 50, was studying for a PhD in law at the University of Oxford when police discovered the victim living at her residence in Kidlington, carrying out household chores and childcare without pay.

 

Mugambe was convicted in March and sentenced on Friday at Oxford Crown Court. Judge David Foxton said she showed “absolutely no remorse” and had attempted to “forcibly blame” the victim for the situation.

 

The court heard that Mugambe arranged for the woman to travel to the UK using a visa that falsely stated she would be employed at the diplomatic residence of John Mugerwa, Uganda’s former deputy high commissioner in London. Instead, the woman was taken directly to Mugambe’s home to work in domestic servitude. 

Prosecutors said Mugerwa sponsored the visa despite knowing the woman would be working for Mugambe. In return, Mugambe agreed to assist him in a legal case he was involved in Uganda. Although the Crown Prosecution Service authorised charges against Mugerwa, he could not be prosecuted due to diplomatic immunity, which the Ugandan government declined to waive.

 

Prosecutor Caroline Haughey KC read a victim impact statement in court. The victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, described living in “almost constant fear” and said she is unable to return to Uganda due to concerns for her safety. “I can’t go back to Uganda,” she said. “I may never see my mother again.”

 

Haughey said Mugambe exploited the victim’s lack of knowledge about her rights and misled her about the nature of her travel to the UK. She said there was a “clear and significant imbalance of power” between Mugambe and the victim.

 

Mugambe denied the charges, stating she “always” treated the woman with love, care, and patience.

 

Judge Foxton described the case as “very sad,” noting Mugambe’s background in human rights law and legal reform in Uganda.

 

Chief Superintendent Ben Clark of Thames Valley Police said the case demonstrated clear evidence of criminal intent. “There is no doubt that Mugambe knew she was committing offences,” he said. “Modern slavery is an under-reported crime, and I hope that the bravery of the victim in this case encourages other victims of modern slavery to come forward.”

 

The University of Oxford released a statement following the conviction. “The university is appalled by its student’s crimes,” a spokesperson said.

 

“The university is now commencing its own disciplinary process, which has the power to remove students convicted of serious criminal offences," it added.