A United Kingdom court has sentenced 50-year-old Ugandan judge Lydia Mugambe, who was serving with the United Nations, to six years in prison for charges related to modern slavery.
Mugambe was convicted of forcing a young woman to work as her maid without pay and intimidating her to drop the case.
The 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 heard that Mugambe, also a High Court judge in Uganda, exploited her status to arrange for the victim to come to the UK and work as her maid, providing childcare and domestic services without pay.
The victim described living in “almost constant fear” due to Mugambe’s powerful standing in their home country. Judge David Foxton, while delivering the sentence, according to Agence France-Presse, acknowledged Mugambe’s legal accomplishments but described the case as “very sad”.
Mugambe’s conviction and sentencing serve as a significant example of the UK’s commitment to combating modern slavery.
The case highlights the importance of protecting vulnerable individuals from exploitation, regardless of their immigration status.
