Ugandan Judge Jailed 6 Years In UK For Forcing Househelp To Work As Slave

Lydia Mugambe

Source: Africa Publicity

A Ugandan High Court judge, Lydia Mugambe, has been sentenced to six years and four months in prison in the United Kingdom (UK) for using a female househelp to work as a domestic slave.

 

Mugambe, age 50, who is also a United Nations judge, was studying for a PhD in law at the University of Oxford when British police found out she had a young Ugandan woman at her home carrying out unpaid work as a maid and nanny.

 

She was jailed at Oxford Crown Court on Friday, May 2, 2025, after she was found guilty of modern day slavery offences in March.

 

In sentencing, Judge David Foxton told the defendant she “showed absolutely no remorse” for her actions and she had looked to “forcibly blame” the victim for what happened.

 

British media report said body camera footage showed Mugambe telling police “I even have immunity” as they made the arrest.

 

Mugambe fraudulently arranged a visa for the woman but it stipulated she would be paid to work as a private servant at the diplomatic residence of John Mugerwa, Uganda’s former deputy high commissioner based at Uganda’s embassy in London.

 

According to prosecutors, Mr Mugerwa sponsored the victim’s visa knowing she would actually work in servitude for Mugambe.

 

Prosecutors told the court that, in return, Mugambe would provide him assistance in relation to a separate court case in Uganda in which he was a defendant.

 

The trial heard Mugambe paid for the victim’s flight and picked her up from the airport – but the young woman then became a slave at the judge’s home in Kidlington, Oxfordshire.

 

Mr Foxton described it as a “very sad case” as he outlined Mugambe’s legal accomplishments, including her work in the protection of human rights.

 

In a written statement, read to the court by prosecutor Caroline Haughey KC, the victim described living in “almost constant fear” due to Mugambe’s powerful standing in Uganda.

 

The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, told prosecutors that she “can’t go back to Uganda” due to fear of what may happen to her and added that she may never see her mother again.

 

Ms Haughey indicated that Mugambe exploited her victim by taking advantage of her lack of knowledge about employment rights and misleading her about why she came to the UK.

She said there was a “clear and significant imbalance of power within the relationship” between Mugambe and her victim.

 

The Crown Prosecution Service authorised police to charge Mr Mugerwa with conspiracy but he had diplomatic immunity, which the Ugandan Government did not waive.

 

Mugambe had denied forcing the young Ugandan woman to do household chores and said she “always” treated her with love, care and patience.

 

Ch Supt Ben Clark, of Thames Valley Police, noted that there was “no doubt” that Mugambe had known she was committing offences.

 

“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,” according to him.