Latest news with #ModernSlaveryAct
TimesLIVE
05-05-2025
- Politics
- TimesLIVE
Ugandan UN judge jailed in UK for 'egregious' forced labour offence
A Ugandan and UN judge was jailed in Britain for more than six years on Friday for forcing a young woman to work without pay while the judge studied at the University of Oxford. Lydia Mugambe, a judge of Uganda's high court since 2013, was appointed in 2023 to be a judge for the UN International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals, which performs functions of previous tribunals relating to war crimes committed in Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia. Prosecutors said Mugambe, 50, used her status in the "most egregious way" by tricking a young Ugandan woman to come to the UK in 2022 to work as a maid without payment. Mugambe was charged under the UK's Modern Slavery Act with conspiring with John Leonard Mugerwa, then Uganda's deputy high commissioner, to get the victim into the UK by lying on her visa application. Mugambe was also charged with facilitating travel with a view to exploitation, forcing someone to work and conspiracy to intimidate her victim to stop her giving evidence.
Time of India
03-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
UK court jails Ugandan judge over slavery conviction
Representative Image(AI) A senior judge who worked for the United Nations as well as Uganda's High Court has been sentenced to six years and four months in prison after she was convicted of enslaving a young woman to work as a maid in the United Kingdom. The Oxford Crown Court found that Lydia Mugambe had taken "advantage of her status" over the young Ugandan woman in the "most egregious way." Judge convicted under Modern Slavery Act Prosecutors said that Mugambe tricked a young Ugandan woman to move to the UK in 2022 to work as a maid and provide childcare without pay. Mugambe was studying her PhD at the University of Oxford at the time. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like AI guru Andrew Ng recommends: Read These 5 Books And Turn Your Life Around in 2025 Blinkist: Andrew Ng's Reading List Undo Mugambe was also charged with conspiring with John Leonard Mugerwa, then Uganda's deputy high commissioner in London, to get the victim into Britain by lying on her visa application. The judge was found guilty in March on four counts: conspiring to facilitate the commission of a breach of UK immigration law, facilitating travel with a view to exploitation, forcing someone to work, and conspiracy to intimidate a witness after a trial. Two of the charges came under Britain's Modern Slavery Act . What did the victim say about her treatment? Judge David Foxton on Friday called it a "very sad case," pointing out Mugambe's legal accomplishments included working for the protection of human rights. "You have shown absolutely no remorse for your conduct. Instead, you continue, wholly unjustifiably I am afraid, to depict yourself as the victim," Foxton said. The victim reported living in "almost constant fear," according to a written statement that was read out in court. Due to Mugambe's powerful standing in Uganda, she said she "can't go back" to her country and was afraid she may never see her mother again.
Telegraph
02-05-2025
- Telegraph
UN judge who kept slave in Oxford home left victim in ‘constant fear'
A former United Nations judge who enslaved a young woman left her living in 'constant fear', a court heard. Lydia Mugambe, 50, was jailed for six years and four months following a trial at Oxford Crown Court. Mugambe, who was studying for a PhD in law at Oxford University at the time, was found to have taken 'advantage of her status' over the Ugandan woman in the 'most egregious way'. Mugambe, who was also a High Court judge in Uganda, stopped the woman from holding steady employment and forced her to work as her maid and provide childcare, prosecutors said. Mugambe's trial heard she wanted to 'obtain someone to make her life easier and at the least possible cost to herself'. Judge David Foxton, sentencing Mugambe on Friday, said it was a 'very sad case', outlining her legal accomplishments, including work concerning the protection of human rights. He said Mugambe 'showed absolutely no remorse' for her conduct and that she looked to 'forcibly blame' the victim for what happened. In a written statement, read to the court by prosecutor Caroline Haughey KC, the victim described living in 'almost constant fear' because of Mugambe's powerful standing in Uganda. The young woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said she 'can't go back to Uganda', citing concerns of what may happen to her and added that she may never see her mother again. Speaking anonymously ahead of the sentencing, the woman described Mugambe as 'fierce' and said 'everything I did was under duress and fear'. She said: 'Even after the police had visited her house on the first occasion, Lydia told me she had the authority and that she would burn my passport and bank card. 'She also said she would call the police because I was in the UK illegally.' 'I have immunity' Mugambe was found guilty in March of conspiring to facilitate the commission of a breach of UK immigration law, facilitating travel with a view to exploitation, forcing someone to work and conspiracy to intimidate a witness. In footage released by Thames Valley Police, the defendant appeared shocked when an officer said he was arresting her at her address in Oxfordshire under the Modern Slavery Act on Feb 12, 2023. She then had a conversation with the officer, in which she said: 'I am a judge in my country, I even have immunity. I am not a criminal.' Thames Valley Police said: 'Any immunity Mugambe may have enjoyed as a UN judge has been waived by the office of the United Nations secretary-general.' Ms Haughey told the court that the victim had been granted asylum in the UK on the basis that she has a well-founded fear of persecution in Uganda. Mugambe conspired with John Leonard Mugerwa, a Ugandan deputy high commissioner, to bring the young woman to the UK, the court heard. Ms Haughey said they took part in a 'very dishonest' trade-off, in which Mr Mugerwa arranged for the Ugandan High Commission to sponsor the woman's entrance into the UK in exchange for Mugambe attempting to speak to a judge who was in charge of legal action in which Mr Mugerwa was named. Jurors also accepted that Mugambe conspired to intimidate the woman into withdrawing her support for the prosecution, or dropping the charges against her. Mugambe contacted a pastor to assist in contacting the young Ugandan woman, arranged for members of the woman's family to be contacted so they could persuade her to drop the case and arranged for an email to be sent directly to her, the court heard. 'Hidden in plain sight' The judge issued a restraining order to Mugambe in which she cannot directly or indirectly communicate with the victim. Paul Raudnitz KC, defending, spoke of Mugambe's 'glittering legal career' and told of the great support she has received since her conviction. Mr Raudnitz also said that Mugambe has resigned as a UN judge. Lynette Woodrow, deputy chief crown prosecutor and national lead for modern slavery said: 'Lydia Mugambe took advantage of the victim, who was hidden in plain sight through forced labour working as a maid and providing childcare for free. 'As a qualified lawyer, a Ugandan High Court judge and a United Nations criminal tribunal judge, Lydia Mugambe understood the rule of law and chose to overlook it.'
NDTV
02-05-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
UN Judge Jailed For 6 Years For Modern Slavery Offences
A UK court on Friday jailed a United Nations judge for six years and four months after she was found guilty of forcing a young woman to work as her maid. Ugandan judge Lydia Mugambe, 50, was convicted under Britain's Modern Slavery Act of taking "advantage of her status" over the victim while studying law at Oxford University. The jury at Oxford Crown Court found Mugambe guilty of conspiring to break UK immigration law, facilitating travel with a view to exploitation, forcing someone to work, and conspiracy to intimidate a witness. The court was told Mugambe, who is also a High Court judge in Uganda, forced the victim to work as her maid and provide childcare for free, while preventing her from holding a steady job. Judge David Foxton outlined Mugambe's legal accomplishments in his sentence, adding that it was a "very sad case". Mugambe engaged in "illegal folly" to arrange for the young woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, to come to the UK. She was also convicted of trying to intimidate the woman to persuade her to drop the case. The court was told in a written statement during the trial that the victim described living in "almost constant fear" as a result of Mugambe's powerful standing in their home country. (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
Daily Mail
02-05-2025
- Daily Mail
UN judge is jailed for six years after being convicted of forcing a young woman to work as a slave
A United Nations judge has been jailed for six years and four months after being convicted of forcing a young woman to work as a slave. Lydia Mugambe, 50, was found to have taken 'advantage of her status' over the Ugandan woman in the 'most egregious way', while she studied for a PhD in law at Oxford university. Mugambe, who is also a High Court judge in Uganda, stopped the woman holding down steady employment and forced her to work as her maid and provide childcare, prosecutors said. Judge David Foxton, sentencing Mugambe at Oxford Crown Court on Friday, said it was a 'very sad case', outlining her legal accomplishments, including work concerning the protection of human rights. Mr Foxton added that the defendant 'showed absolutely no remorse' for her conduct and that she looked to 'forcibly blame' the victim for what happened. 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 young woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said that she 'can't go back to Uganda' due to concerns of what may happen to her and added that she may never see her mother again. Mugambe was found guilty in March of conspiring to facilitate the commission of a breach of UK immigration law, facilitating travel with a view to exploitation, forcing someone to work, and conspiracy to intimidate a witness after a trial. Mugambe was found to have taken 'advantage of her status' over the Ugandan woman in the 'most egregious way' while she studied for a PhD in law at the University of Oxfor In footage released by Thames Valley Police (TVP), the defendant appeared shocked when an officer said he was arresting her at her address in Oxfordshire under the Modern Slavery Act on February 12 2023. She then had a conversation with the officer, in which she said: 'I am a judge in my country, I even have immunity. I am not a criminal.' TVP said: 'Any immunity Mugambe may have enjoyed as a UN judge has been waived by the office of the United Nations Secretary General.' Ms Haughey said 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 on Friday that there was a 'clear and significant imbalance of power within the relationship' between Mugambe and her victim. Ms Haughey told the court that the victim has been granted asylum in the UK on the basis that she has a well-founded fear of persecution in Uganda. Mugambe conspired with Ugandan deputy high commissioner John Leonard Mugerwa to bring the young woman to the UK, the court heard. Ms Haughey said they took part in a 'very dishonest' trade-off, in which Mr Mugerwa arranged for the Ugandan High Commission to sponsor the woman's entrance into the UK in exchange for Mugambe attempting to speak to a judge who was in charge of legal action in which Mr Mugerwa was named. Jurors also accepted that the defendant conspired to intimidate the woman to have her withdraw her support for the prosecution, or the charges against her to be dropped. Mugambe contacted a pastor to assist in making contact with the young Ugandan woman, arranged for members of the woman's family to be contacted so they could persuade her to drop the case, and arranged for an email to be sent directly to her, the court heard. She denied forcing the young woman to do household chores and said she 'always' treated her with love, care and patience. The judge gave Mugambe a restraining order with terms saying she can not directly or indirectly contact the victim. Paul Raudnitz KC, defending, spoke of Mugambe's 'glittering legal career' and told of the great support she has received since her conviction. A small crowd held placards and chanted 'Justice for Lydia Mugambe' outside the court before the hearing took place. Mr Raudnitz also said that Mugambe has resigned as a UN judge. Lynette Woodrow, deputy chief crown prosecutor and national lead for modern slavery said 'Lydia Mugambe took advantage of the victim, who was hidden in plain sight through forced labour working as a maid and providing childcare for free. 'As a qualified lawyer, a Ugandan High Court judge and a United Nations criminal tribunal judge, Lydia Mugambe understood the rule of law and chose to overlook it. 'Modern slavery offences such as this one are incredibly serious and can have a profound effect on the lives of victims.'
