Latest news with #Mugambe
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.
Roya News
04-05-2025
- Roya News
UN judge jailed for trafficking, enslaving housekeeper
A Ugandan High Court judge and UN jurist has been sentenced to six years and four months in prison for keeping a young Ugandan woman in domestic servitude at her Oxfordshire home. Lydia Mugambe, 50, was pursuing a PhD in law at the University of Oxford when authorities discovered she had trafficked the woman into the UK under false pretenses, forcing her to work unpaid as a maid and nanny. Oxford Crown Court found Mugambe guilty of modern slavery offenses in March. During Friday's sentencing, Judge David Foxton condemned her lack of accountability, stating she "showed absolutely no remorse" and attempted to blame the victim for her circumstances. The victim, whose identity is protected, was brought into the UK using a visa arranged by Mugambe. Officially, the visa claimed she would be employed at the diplomatic residence of John Mugerwa, Uganda's then-deputy high commissioner in London. However, prosecutors revealed that Mugerwa, who sponsored the visa, was aware the woman would instead be working in Mugambe's private residence in Kidlington, Oxfordshire. In exchange, Mugambe allegedly offered to support Mugerwa in a separate legal case back in Uganda. After arriving in the UK, the young woman was isolated and compelled to perform domestic chores for no pay, effectively living as a slave. 'I lived in almost constant fear,' she said in a statement read in court by prosecutor Caroline Haughey KC. She added that returning to Uganda would be dangerous given Mugambe's influence, and she fears she may never reunite with her mother. The court heard that Mugambe misled the woman about the nature of her travel and exploited her ignorance of UK employment laws. "There was a clear and significant imbalance of power within the relationship," said Ms. Haughey. Despite denying the charges and claiming she treated the woman with "love, care and patience," Mugambe was convicted of exploiting her victim over an extended period. The case has also drawn diplomatic complications. The Crown Prosecution Service had sought to charge John Mugerwa with conspiracy, but diplomatic immunity protected him, and the Ugandan government refused to lift it. Chief Superintendent Ben Clark of Thames Valley Police emphasized the significance of the case. 'There is no doubt Mugambe knew what she was doing was criminal. Modern slavery is an under-reported crime, and we hope the courage shown by the victim in this case inspires others to speak out,' he said. The University of Oxford has expressed its condemnation of Mugambe's actions. "The university is appalled by the crimes committed by one of its students," a spokesperson said. "We are now initiating our own disciplinary procedures, which include the potential removal of any student convicted of serious criminal offenses."
Time of India
03-05-2025
- Time of India
UN judge Lydia Mugambe jailed in UK for forcing woman to work as slave
(Photo credit: Thames Valley Police) A United Nations judge has been sentenced to six years and four months in prison for forcing a woman to work as a domestic slave in the UK. Lydia Mugambe, 50, who was pursuing a PhD in law at the University of Oxford, was found to have kept a young Ugandan woman as an unpaid domestic worker and nanny at her residence. Mugambe was convicted in March of several charges, including conspiring to breach UK immigration law, facilitating travel for exploitation, forcing labor, and intimidating a witness. Mugambe, who serves as a high court judge in Uganda, prevented the woman from securing regular employment and required her to serve as a domestic worker and provide childcare services, according to prosecutors. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Nagelpilz-Durchbruch schockiert Experten in Langenberg Heilratgeber Weiterlesen Undo During sentencing, Judge David Foxton noted the defendant's complete lack of remorse and her attempts to shift responsibility onto the victim. Mugambe obtained a fraudulent visa for the woman, which specified employment as a private servant at the diplomatic residence of John Mugerwa, Uganda's former deputy high commissioner in London. Prosecutors indicated that Mugerwa supported the victim's visa application, knowing she would work in servitude for Mugambe. In exchange, Mugambe offered assistance with his legal proceedings in Uganda. The court learned that Mugambe arranged the victim's travel and airport collection, after which the young woman became enslaved at the judge's Kidlington, Oxfordshire residence. In court, prosecutor Caroline Haughey KC read the victim's statement, describing her "almost constant fear" due to Mugambe's influential position in Uganda. The unnamed victim expressed inability to return to Uganda, fearing consequences and possible permanent separation from her mother. Haughey stated that Mugambe took advantage of her victim's unfamiliarity with employment rights and misrepresented the purpose of her UK visit. The court highlighted a "clear and significant imbalance of power" in the relationship between Mugambe and her victim. The Crown Prosecution Service authorised charges against Mugambe's associate, Mr. Mugerwa, for conspiracy, but he had diplomatic immunity, which the Ugandan government did not waive. Mugambe, however, denied the accusations, insisting she "always" treated the young Ugandan woman with "love, care and patience."
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Business Standard
03-05-2025
- Business Standard
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.
Express Tribune
03-05-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
UN judge Lydia Mugambe jailed for enslaving Ugandan woman in UK
Listen to article United Nations judge Lydia Mugambe has been sentenced to six years and four months in prison by Oxford Crown Court for forcing a Ugandan woman into domestic servitude while studying in the UK. Mugambe, 50, a High Court judge in Uganda and PhD student at the University of Oxford, was convicted in March on multiple charges: conspiracy to facilitate a breach of UK immigration law, facilitating travel for exploitation, forced labour, and witness intimidation. The court heard that Mugambe tricked the woman—who had previously worked in her Ugandan household—into traveling to the UK under the false promise of legitimate work. Instead, she was made to work unpaid as a maid and nanny in Mugambe's Oxfordshire home, while being denied employment rights and subjected to coercion. Judge David Foxton said Mugambe showed 'absolutely no remorse' and used her status to exploit her victim, who lived in "constant fear." The woman, whose identity is protected, said in a statement she fears returning to Uganda due to Mugambe's influence. Mugambe also conspired with Uganda's former deputy high commissioner to the UK, John Mugerwa, who arranged the woman's visa under false pretenses. Prosecutors said Mugambe offered legal help in a separate Ugandan court case involving Mugerwa in return for his assistance. He was not charged due to diplomatic immunity. Bodycam footage from her arrest showed Mugambe claiming she had diplomatic immunity and was 'not a criminal.' The University of Oxford said it is initiating disciplinary proceedings. Police praised the victim's courage and urged other modern slavery victims to come forward.
