A senior Ugandan judge and United Nations official, Lydia Mugambe, has been sentenced to six years and four months in prison after being found guilty of enslaving a young Ugandan woman under the guise of domestic employment in the United Kingdom.
The 50-year-old, who was pursuing a PhD in Law at the University of Oxford, was convicted in March on modern slavery charges. Oxford Crown Court heard that Mugambe held the victim in unpaid servitude as a maid and nanny at her Oxfordshire residence. Despite Mugambe’s international profile as a High Court judge in Uganda and a champion of human rights, the court found her guilty of severe exploitation and abuse of power.
During sentencing on Friday, Justice David Foxton condemned Mugambe for showing “absolutely no remorse” and attempting to shift blame onto the victim. The court was told that Mugambe fraudulently arranged for the woman’s visa—originally issued under the pretext that she would work at Uganda’s diplomatic mission in London—before secretly diverting her to domestic servitude.
According to prosecutors, the visa was sponsored by former Ugandan Deputy High Commissioner John Mugerwa, who was allegedly repaid with legal assistance from Mugambe in a court matter back home. However, Mugerwa avoided prosecution due to diplomatic immunity, which the Ugandan government declined to waive.
Bodycam footage from the arrest captured Mugambe telling officers, “I even have immunity,” a claim quickly dismissed by authorities. Chief Superintendent Ben Clark of Thames Valley Police confirmed that Mugambe was fully aware of her actions and emphasized the rarity of modern slavery cases being reported.
In a powerful victim impact statement read during the proceedings, the unnamed woman said she lived in “almost constant fear” due to Mugambe’s influence in Uganda. “I can’t go back,” she said, fearing repercussions and lamenting that she may never see her mother again.
Oxford University has since issued a statement expressing outrage over Mugambe’s conduct, confirming that disciplinary action is underway, which could result in her expulsion.
“This is a grave betrayal of trust, dignity, and human rights,” said prosecutor Caroline Haughey KC, describing the power imbalance that allowed Mugambe to manipulate and exploit the victim.
The case, originally reported by BBC News’ James Ingham, has sent shockwaves through both academic and diplomatic circles, raising urgent questions about accountability, immunity, and the hidden realities of modern slavery—even among the world’s most respected institutions.
