UK court jails Ugandan judge for immigration fraud, modern slavery crime

A Ugandan United Nations human rights judge, Lydia Mugambe, has been sentenced to more than six years’ imprisonment in the United Kingdom after she was convicted of modern slavery offences.

Ms Mugambe’s sentencing came almost two months after jurors found the high court judge guilty of several charges, including breaching immigration laws, trafficking, witness intimidation and other offences following a trial at Oxford Crown Court in March.

The 50-year-old, who was studying for a law PhD at the University of Oxford at the time of her arrest, was charged with engaging in “illegal folly” by arranging for her victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, to travel to the UK from Uganda under false representation.

She was also charged with engaging in modern slavery offences for seizing the victim’s identification documents upon her arrival in the UK while forcing her to work as her maid and to provide childcare without remuneration.

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Delivering his judgment on Friday, Judge David Foxton of the Oxford Crown Court said the defendant “showed absolutely no remorse” for her actions but chose to “forcibly blame” the victim for what happened.

Subsequently, Mr Foxton sentenced Ms Mugambe to six years and four months in prison.

In her reaction to the judgment, Lynette Woodrow, the deputy chief Crown prosecutor, said, “Lydia Mugambe took advantage of the young victim’s lack of understanding of her rights to properly paid employment.

“She exploited and abused the victim, who was hidden in plain sight through forced labour, working as a maid and providing childcare for free.”

She added, “As a qualified lawyer, a Ugandan high court judge and a United Nations criminal tribunal judge, Lydia Mugambe understood the rule of law and chose to overlook it.

“Modern slavery offences such as this one are incredibly serious and can have a profound effect on the lives of victims.”