&w=3840&q=100)
UN judge gets 6-year sentence in UK for holding Ugandan woman as slave
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.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India Today
9 hours ago
- India Today
The Pakistan paradox: How the world's "terror exporter" became a counter-terrorism authority
The international community's approach to Pakistan presents one of the most glaring contradictions in modern geopolitics. While evidence continues to mount of Pakistan's systematic support for terrorism, the same nation has been entrusted with leading global counter-terrorism efforts at the United Nations. This paradox exposes not just Pakistan's duplicity, but the world's willingness to overlook state-sponsored terrorism when geopolitical convenience demands The architect of terror takes the Chair In a development that would be laughable if it weren't so dangerous, Pakistan—a country repeatedly labeled as the "global exporter of terror"—has been appointed to chair the United Nations Security Council's Taliban Sanctions Committee in 2025. Simultaneously, it will serve as vice-chair of the Council's Counter-Terrorism Committee. This appointment represents perhaps the most striking example of institutional hypocrisy in international relations, akin to appointing an arsonist as fire irony becomes even more pronounced when considering Pakistan's track record. This is the same nation where Osama bin Laden was found hiding near a military academy in Abbottabad, where he was eliminated by US forces in 2011. The discovery of the world's most wanted terrorist living comfortably in Pakistan, within walking distance of the country's premier military institution, should have been a wake-up call for the international community. Instead, it was treated as an unfortunate coincidence rather than evidence of systemic pattern of denial and deceptionPakistan's strategy in dealing with terrorism accusations follows a predictable script that has remained unchanged for decades. When confronted with evidence of harbouring terrorists, Pakistani officials invariably resort to one of three responses: outright denial, claims of mistaken identity, or calls for "neutral investigations." This pattern was on full display during former Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto's recent appearance at the United Nations, where he defended Hafiz Abdur Rauf, a designated Lashkar-e-Taiba photographic evidence showing Rauf leading funeral prayers for killed terrorists, and despite documentation from Pakistan's own military media wing (ISPR) that confirmed his identity matched US Treasury Department terrorist designations, Bhutto maintained that Rauf was merely a "local cleric" who happened to share a name with a sanctioned terrorist. This level of gaslighting would be impressive if it weren't so transparently evidence against Rauf is overwhelming. His computerised national identity card, shared by Pakistan's own ISPR, shows a date of birth and identification number that exactly match those on the US Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) list of designated global terrorists. The CNIC also confirms his affiliation with the Pakistan Markazi Muslim League (PMML), designated by the US as a front for Lashkar-e-Taiba. Yet Pakistan's representatives continue to maintain the fiction that this is all a case of mistaken decades of state-sponsored terrorPakistan's use of terrorism as a tool of foreign policy is not a recent development but a consistent strategy dating back to the country's independence in 1947. From the very beginning, Pakistan has employed proxy forces to achieve its geopolitical objectives, particularly regarding Kashmir. The tribal militia invasion of Jammu and Kashmir in 1947, Operation Gibraltar in 1965, and the Kargil infiltration in 1999 all followed the same playbook: use non-state actors to provide plausible deniability while pursuing state objectives through strategy has evolved and intensified over the decades. Pakistan has created, trained, and armed multiple terror groups including Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad, and others that have carried out devastating attacks not just in India but across the globe. The 2008 Mumbai attacks, which killed 166 people, stand as perhaps the most brazen example of Pakistan's proxy warfare. Despite overwhelming evidence of Pakistani involvement, including captured terrorist Ajmal Kasab's confession and intercepted communications, Pakistan has steadfastly refused to prosecute the masterminds who continue to operate freely on its pattern is consistent across multiple attacks: the 1993 Mumbai blasts whose mastermind Dawood Ibrahim is still sheltered in Pakistan, the 2001 Indian Parliament attack, the 2016 Pathankot airbase attack, and the 2019 Pulwama bombing that killed 40 Indian paramilitary personnel. In each case, Pakistan follows the same script—deny involvement, obstruct investigations, ignore legal requests for information, and eventually claim to be a victim of terrorism economic dimension of complicityPakistan's recent diplomatic breakthrough with Afghanistan, mediated by China, reveals another layer of the international community's complicity in Pakistan's terror enterprise. The agreement to reinstate diplomatic ties and invite Afghanistan to join the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) demonstrates how economic interests can override security concerns and moral role as mediator is particularly telling. Despite being well aware of Pakistan's terror connections—Chinese nationals have been repeatedly targeted by Pakistan-based militants—Beijing continues to invest billions in CPEC projects. The calculation is purely transactional: China values Pakistan's strategic location and willingness to serve as a conduit for Chinese influence more than it concerns itself with Pakistan's support for economic dimension helps explain Pakistan's immunity from serious international consequences. Countries and institutions find it easier to work around Pakistan's terror problem than to confront it directly. The result is a system where Pakistan faces minimal costs for its behaviour while reaping significant benefits from international UN's Institutional FailureThe decision to place Pakistan in leadership roles within UN counter-terrorism bodies represents a fundamental failure of institutional logic. How can an organisation committed to fighting terrorism place a known state sponsor of terrorism in charge of its efforts? The answer lies in the UN's structural weaknesses and the dominance of political considerations over principled appointment to these positions is not an oversight but a deliberate choice that reflects the international community's prioritisation of geopolitical stability over justice and accountability. By allowing Pakistan to lead counter-terrorism efforts, the UN is essentially legitimising the very behaviour it claims to combat. This sends a dangerous message to other state sponsors of terrorism: that there are no real consequences for supporting violence against persistence of plausible deniabilityPakistan's strategy relies heavily on maintaining plausible deniability—the ability to support terrorism while avoiding direct responsibility. This approach allows Pakistan to claim it is fighting terrorism even as it sponsors it. The use of proxy groups provides a thin veneer of separation between the Pakistani state and terrorist activities, which international actors seem all too willing to recent Pahalgam attack, which killed 26 civilians, followed this familiar pattern. Despite clear evidence of cross-border terrorism emanating from Pakistan-controlled territory, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called for a "credible, neutral probe"—the same deflection tactic Pakistan has used for decades. This response ignores the mountain of evidence linking Pakistani territory and proxies to terrorist activities while attempting to shift the burden of proof away from cost of international inactionThe international community's failure to hold Pakistan accountable has had devastating consequences. By allowing Pakistan to maintain its terror infrastructure without facing meaningful consequences, the world has enabled decades of violence and instability. The human cost has been enormous—thousands of lives lost in terrorist attacks linked to Pakistani proxies, ongoing instability in South Asia, and the persistence of non-state actors who threaten regional and global Financial Action Task Force (FATF) briefly placed Pakistan on its "grey list" for terror financing, but even this limited action was eventually reversed without Pakistan making fundamental changes to its behaviour. This pattern of limited pressure followed by rehabilitation has become the norm, reinforcing Pakistan's belief that it can continue supporting terrorism without facing serious calculated complicityChina's role in enabling Pakistan's behavior deserves particular scrutiny. Despite repeated attacks on Chinese nationals and projects by Pakistan-based militants, China continues to deepen its partnership with Pakistan through CPEC and other initiatives. This relationship reveals how major powers prioritise their strategic interests over counter-terrorism mediation between Pakistan and Afghanistan appears designed not to end terrorism but to create stability that serves Chinese economic interests. By helping Pakistan and Afghanistan reach an accommodation that allows both to continue harbouring different terrorist groups while avoiding direct conflict with each other, China is essentially facilitating a division of the terrorism market rather than its way forward: Accountability or complicityThe international community faces a clear choice: continue enabling Pakistan's behaviour through engagement without consequences, or finally demand genuine accountability. The current approach—combining harsh rhetoric with continued cooperation—has clearly failed. Pakistan continues to support terrorism because it faces no meaningful costs for doing accountability would require sustained pressure across multiple dimensions: diplomatic isolation, economic sanctions, and removal from international bodies where Pakistan can obstruct counter-terrorism efforts. Most importantly, it would require consistency—not the current pattern of brief pressure followed by world's treatment of Pakistan reveals uncomfortable truths about international priorities. Despite decades of rhetoric about fighting terrorism, major powers continue to prioritise their narrow interests over principled opposition to state-sponsored violence. This hypocrisy not only enables Pakistan's behaviour but undermines the entire international counter-terrorism emperor's terrorist clothesPakistan's appointment to lead UN counter-terrorism efforts while simultaneously supporting terrorism represents the ultimate expression of international hypocrisy. Like the emperor's new clothes, everyone can see the truth, but institutional interests prevent anyone from stating it clearly. Pakistan is not a partner in fighting terrorism—it is one of terrorism's primary the international community finds the courage to confront this reality directly, Pakistan will continue to play its double game with impunity. The victims of Pakistani-sponsored terrorism deserve better than a system that rewards their tormentors with positions of authority. The world's credibility in fighting terrorism depends on ending this charade and finally holding Pakistan accountable for its Pakistan paradox exposes more than just one country's duplicity—it reveals a system where power matters more than principles, where convenience trumps justice, and where those who enable terrorism can simultaneously claim to fight it. This is not just Pakistan's shame; it is the world' Watch
India.com
a day ago
- India.com
Hafiz Saeed Living In Luxury Under Govt Protection, Pakistan Won't Hand Him Over To India, Says Son Talha
Islamabad/New Delhi: In a sensational revelation that tears the mask off Pakistan's counter-terror claims, Talha Saeed, son of 26/11 mastermind Hafiz Saeed, has declared in a new video that his father is safe, protected by the Pakistani government and will not be handed over to India ever. As speculation mounted over the fate of the Lashkar-e-Toiba founder, Talha broke his silence in an interview, dispelling rumours about his father's deteriorating health or imprisonment. Instead, he painted the image of a man who is 'peacefully spending his time writing Quranic commentary and offering prayers' – not languishing in any prison cell, as Pakistan would have the world believe. 'He is absolutely safe, well and living a peaceful life. The idea of handing him over to India is out of the question,' Talha said defiantly. The statement comes amid rising demands from India for Hafiz Saeed's extradition, especially with the 16th anniversary of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks approaching. The UN-designated terrorist, Saeed is accused of orchestrating the bloodbath that left 166 people dead and scores wounded. Yet, his son's words suggest that Pakistan's 'house arrest' may just be a smokescreen for international optics. The New Face of Anti-India Rhetoric? Talha Saeed has been increasingly active in Pakistan's public and media space, frequently spewing venom against India and rallying Islamist sympathisers. Many analysts believe that with Hafiz Saeed aging and reportedly unwell, Talha is now being groomed to take over his father's ideological and operational mantle within the Lashkar-e-Toiba. His interviews are being seen as a calculated PR move – not only to reassure LeT's rank and file but also to send a message to India and the global community: Hafiz Saeed is not going anywhere. Talha's confession is damning for a country that publicly claims to fight terrorism but is safeguarding its most notorious terrorist. Despite assurances given to global watchdogs like FATF, Pakistan appears to be offering VIP treatment to a man responsible for one of the worst terror attacks on Indian soil. India has repeatedly presented evidence of Saeed's involvement in the Mumbai attacks, demanding his extradition. But as Talha's statements now make clear, Islamabad never intended to act on those demands – a stance that undermines its credibility on the world stage. With Talha's open admission now in the public domain, Indian intelligence and diplomatic channels are closely monitoring the developments. The revelations strengthen India's position that Pakistan continues to harbour terrorists under state protection, even while demanding legitimacy and aid from international allies.
United News of India
a day ago
- United News of India
India, Central Asian nations condemn Pahalgam attack, reaffirm commitment to fighting against terrorism
New Delhi, June 6 (UNI) India and the five Central Asian countries today unequivocally condemned the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, and reaffirmed their firm commitment to fight against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. In a joint statement, issued after the 4th meeting of the India-Central Asia Dialogue held in New Delhi today, under the chairship of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, the countries reiterated that providing safe haven, using terrorist proxies for cross-border terrorism, terror financing, arms and drugs trafficking, dissemination of a radical ideology and abuse of cyber space to spread disinformation and incite violence, goes against the basic principles of humanity and international relations. They stressed that perpetrators, organisers, financiers and sponsors of terrorist acts must be held accountable and brought to justice. In this context, they called for early adoption of the UN Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism. They also stressed the need to strengthen UN-led global counter-terrorism cooperation and fully implement the relevant UNSC resolutions, Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy and FATF standards. The participating ministers at the dialogue include: FM Sirojiddin Muhriddin of Tajikistan, Deputy PM and FM Murat Nurtleu of Kazakhstan, FM Zheenbek Kulubaev of Kyrgyz Republic, FM Rashid Meredov of Turkmenistan and FM Bakhtiyor Saidov of Uzbekistan. The Ministers appreciated the First meeting of the India-Central Asia Joint Working Group on Chabahar Port held in Mumbai in April 2023. India welcomed the interest of Central Asian countries to utilise the services of the Shahid Beheshti Terminal, being operated by India, at the Chabahar Port for facilitating their trade with India and beyond. They agreed to continue engagement for further developing the transit and transport potential of their countries, through simplification and streamlining of goods transit procedures, including greater use of TIR Carnet between India and Central Asia for movement of goods. The ministers underlined the importance of greater financial connectivity between India and Central Asian countries, including through digital payment systems, enhanced interbank relations, and trade in national currencies to encourage greater trade, investment, tourism and people-to-people exchanges. They also expressed interest in setting up a Joint Working Group to explore ways to further deepen banking and financial connectivity between India and Central Asian partners. The Ministers emphasised optimum usage of the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) to enhance connectivity between India and the Central Asian countries. They stressed that connectivity initiatives should be based on the principles of transparency, broad participation, local priorities, financial sustainability, respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries. India reiterated its support for the membership of Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan in INSTC. In this context, Ministers appreciated the initiative taken by Kazakhstan to develop the eastern branch of INSTC. The Ministers noted the importance of holding regular consultations among the National Security Councils of India and the Central Asian countries to strengthen efforts to counter terrorism and other emerging challenges in the region. They looked forward to the third edition of the Consultations to be held in the Kyrgyz Republic. They also expressed interest in joint exploration of rare earth and critical minerals. Appreciating the outcomes of the first India-Central Asia Rare Earth Forum held in September 2024 in New Delhi, they called for holding the second India-Central Asia Rare Earth Forum meeting at the earliest convenience. They also encouraged exchange of delegations to explore new areas of cooperation in critical minerals. Earlier, EAM Jaishankar in a post on X said he expressed India's appreciation of the Central Asian partners condemning the heinous terrorist attack in Pahalgam. 'Delighted to chair the 4th India-Central Asia Dialogue in Delhi this morning. 'Thank my Central Asian colleagues DPM & FM Murat Nurtleu, Deputy Chairman & FM Rashid Meredov, FM Zheenbek Kulubaev, FM Sirojiddin Muhriddin and @FM_Saidov for their assessments and views. 'Expressed India's appreciation on Central Asian partners condemning the heinous terrorist attack in Pahalgam. 'Held productive and wide-ranging discussions on themes of connectivity, regional security & terrorism, technology cooperation, development partnership and people-to-people exchanges. 'Confident that our deliberations today would lead to forging an even closer and deeper India-Central Asia partnership.' UNI RN
