London, United Kingdom – A senior Ugandan judge affiliated with the United Nations has been sentenced to over six years in a UK prison after being found guilty of modern slavery offences and attempting to intimidate a witness.
Lydia Mugambe, 50, was convicted at Oxford Crown Court of forcing a young woman to work as a domestic servant and childminder without pay while she was studying law at Oxford University. The offences were prosecuted under the UK’s Modern Slavery Act.
Mugambe, who previously served as a High Court judge in Uganda and held positions linked to international legal institutions, was also found guilty of conspiring to breach immigration laws and trying to pressure the victim into withdrawing her complaint.
Prosecutors argued that Mugambe used her status and influence to exploit the woman, preventing her from securing paid employment and forcing her to live in exploitative conditions. The victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, told the court she lived in “almost constant fear.”
In sentencing, Judge David Foxton acknowledged Mugambe’s distinguished legal background but said her conduct amounted to a “serious abuse of power and trust.” He described the case as a “very sad one,” involving a deliberate plan to manipulate immigration systems for personal benefit.
The conviction comes amid growing international scrutiny of labor exploitation and abuse committed by individuals in positions of power, including diplomats and international officials. Human rights groups say the case underscores the importance of accountability regardless of status or profession.
Neither the United Nations nor the Ugandan judiciary has publicly commented on the case at time of publication.
