A United Nations judge from Uganda, Lydia Mugambe, has been sentenced to six years and four months in prison by a United Kingdom court for modern slavery crimes.
The 50-year-old judge, who was studying law at Oxford University, was found guilty of forcing a young woman to work as her maid without pay. She also used the woman to take care of her children while stopping her from getting a proper job.
Mugambe, who is also a High Court judge in Uganda, was convicted under Britain’s Modern Slavery Act. The Oxford Crown Court found her guilty of conspiring to break immigration laws, arranging travel for exploitation, forced labour, and trying to intimidate a witness.
The court said she used her power and position to take advantage of the victim.
During the trial, the victim said in a statement that she lived in “almost constant fear” because of Mugambe’s high position in their home country.
The judge handling the case, David Foxton, said the sentence was a “very sad case” and mentioned Mugambe’s many achievements in law. But he also said she had made a serious mistake.
Mugambe had also tried to pressure the victim into dropping the case, the court heard.
She was arrested by Thames Valley Police, and her photo was shared after the verdict. The victim’s name was not revealed for legal reasons.
