Modern slavery : UN judge, Lydia Mugambe, sentenced to 6 years imprisonment in UK

A British court has sentenced Lydia Mugambe, a 50-year-old Ugandan judge and United Nations official, to six years in prison after finding her guilty of offenses linked to modern slavery.

Mugambe was convicted at Oxford Crown Court on multiple counts, including conspiracy to violate UK immigration laws, facilitating travel for exploitation, forcing an individual to work without pay, and conspiring to intimidate a witness.

The court heard that Mugambe, who also serves as a High Court judge in Uganda, used her influence to bring a young woman to the United Kingdom, where she was made to work as an unpaid maid, providing domestic help and childcare.

The victim told the court she lived in “almost constant fear” because of Mugambe’s prominent position in their home country. While delivering the sentence, Judge David Foxton, according to Agence France-Presse, acknowledged Mugambe’s professional achievements but called the case “very sad.”

Mugambe’s conviction underscores the UK’s dedication to tackling modern slavery and highlights the need to safeguard vulnerable individuals, regardless of their immigration status.