A United Nations judge, Lydia Mugambe, has been sentenced to six years and four months in prison after being found guilty of modern slavery offenses. Mugambe, 50, was convicted at Oxford Crown Court for exploiting a Ugandan woman, forcing her into unpaid labor as a maid and childminder when she moved to the UK to study for her PhD.
Mugambe was arrested in February 2023 following a report that the woman, who has been granted lifetime anonymity, was being held against her will. The victim, who used the pseudonym “Rona,” said that her life with Mugambe was filled with fear and exploitation. “My existence to Lydia was not important,” Rona told the court. “It made me feel unhappy. I couldn’t speak to her because I feared her.”
Rona had been promised a job when she came to the UK but found herself trapped in a cycle of forced labor without pay. Mugambe took her passport, preventing her from seeking other employment or even leaving the house. “She never paid me,” Rona said. “She stopped me from working, saying it wasn’t balanced with the times for the children.” The victim described how Mugambe took advantage of her lack of understanding of her rights in the UK, trapping her in a life of exploitation.
The court heard that Mugambe had manipulated the victim by promising her a better life, only to deceive and control her once she arrived in Oxford. The judge, Mr. Justice Foxton, emphasized that Mugambe’s actions were not only cruel but also premeditated. “She obtained someone to make her life easier and at the least possible cost to herself,” he stated.
The crimes committed by Mugambe included conspiracy to facilitate a breach of UK immigration law, forced labor, conspiracy to intimidate a witness, and facilitating the travel of another person with the intention of exploitation. The judge ruled that Mugambe would serve half of her sentence in prison, with the remainder on license.
Caroline Haughey KC, who prosecuted the case, condemned Mugambe’s actions, saying she had exploited and abused Rona, taking advantage of her lack of knowledge about employment rights in the UK. “Lydia Mugambe deceived her, telling her that coming to the UK was a great favor and that she owed everything to her,” Haughey said.
The trial also revealed that Mugambe, a highly qualified lawyer and a Ugandan High Court judge, knew well the consequences of her actions. Chief Superintendent Ben Clark, of Oxfordshire Police, expressed the belief that Mugambe’s extensive legal background made her fully aware of the crimes she was committing. “Modern slavery is an underreported crime,” Clark said, urging others who may be in similar situations to come forward. “The bravery of the victim in this case may encourage others to speak up.”
Modern slavery is a growing concern in the UK, and authorities are encouraging victims and those with information to report such crimes. “We will listen and we will help you,” Clark reassured potential victims.
For Rona, the trial’s conclusion brings some sense of justice, but the road to recovery will be long. “I had no hope,” she said. “I was trapped, but I am glad I can now speak up and tell my story.”
