Oxford, Uk – Judge Lydia Mugambe, a celebrated Ugandan High Court judge and United Nations appointee has been sentenced to six years and four months in prison by Oxford Crown Court for enslaving a young Ugandan woman in her home.
The 50-year-old, who was pursuing a PhD in law at the prestigious University of Oxford was found guilty in March of modern slavery offences, a conviction that brutally contrasts her once-celebrated reputation as a human rights defender in East Africa.
According to UK prosecutors, Mugambe fraudulently secured a domestic visa for the victim under the pretense of employment at the Ugandan Embassy in London.
In reality, the woman also from Uganda was brought to Kidlington, Oxfordshire and forced into unpaid domestic enslavement which involved cooking, cleaning and caring for children day and night without pay, dignity, or freedom.
“This was slavery hiding in plain sight,” said Chief Superintendent Ben Clark of Thames Valley Police. “There is no doubt that Mugambe knew what she was doing. She used her status, education and diplomatic connections to conceal a crime of deep cruelty.”
The case took a darker twist when the court heard that John Mugerwa, Uganda’s former deputy high commissioner in London conspired in the visa fraud allegedly in exchange for legal favors in a Ugandan court case.
Although the Crown Prosecution Service authorized charges, Mugerwa’s diplomatic immunity shielded him from prosecution after the Ugandan government refused to waive it.
Bodycam footage shown in court revealed Mugambe telling arresting officers,
“I even have immunity.” But it was clear that in the eyes of British law, no one is above justice.
Judge David Foxton called the case “very sad” and said Mugambe “showed absolutely no remorse,” even blaming the victim during trial proceedings.
Mugambe had previously presided over landmark human rights cases in Uganda including judgments defending the rights of mothers and marginalized groups. She had long been hailed as a progressive voice in Uganda’s judiciary.
“I Was Worthless in Her Eyes”
The unnamed victim, who has been granted lifelong anonymity, gave a powerful victim impact statement:
“My existence to Lydia was not important. I was fearful and worried. I should have been treated humanely not treated as useless or worthless.”
Her voice, raw and brave now echoes louder than Mugambe’s carefully crafted legal legacy.
For many across Uganda and the African continent, this case is more than just a legal scandal, it’s a gut-wrenching betrayal of the fight for justice and equality.
“Lydia Mugambe was one of us. A symbol of what Ugandan women could become,” said a lawyer in Kampala. “Now she has become a symbol of how power can corrupt even the most promising among us.”
While shocking, Mugambe’s case is not isolated. Thousands are trafficked and enslaved across Europe annually, many under the noses of powerful elites. This conviction is being hailed as a landmark moment in the fight against modern slavery, and advocates hope it will empower more victims to speak out.
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