A Ugandan High Court judge studying at the University of Oxford “exploited and abused” a young Ugandan woman she kept as a slave in Britain.
Prosecutors said Lydia Mugambe, 49, took “advantage of her status” over her victim by preventing her from holding down steady employment and forcing her to work as her maid.
Oxford Crown Court had heard that Mugambe and a judge at United Nations, who also a member of the United Nations judicial roster, worked with John Leonard Mugerwa, the Ugandan deputy high commissioner, to arrange for the young woman to come to the UK.
Mugambe was found guilty on Thursday of conspiring to facilitate the commission of a breach of UK immigration law, facilitating travel with a view to exploitation, forcing someone to work, and conspiracy to intimidate a witness.
Caroline Haughey KC, prosecuting, told jurors: “On her arrival, she was made to work for Ms Mugambe from the very start, unremunerated and acting as maid and for child care to give Ms Mugambe back her life.
“Deprived of her freedom to choose her own work, to control her ID documents, she was beholden to Ms Mugambe.”
Jurors accepted the prosecution’s case that Mugambe – who was studying for a law PhD – had engaged in “illegal folly” with Mr Mugerwa.
Prosecutors said the pair took part in a “very dishonest” trade-off, in which Mr Mugerwa arranged for the Ugandan High Commission to sponsor the woman’s entrance into the UK in exchange for Mugambe attempting to speak to a judge who was in charge of legal action Mr Mugerwa was named in.
Mugambe’s trial heard she had the intention of “obtaining someone to make her life easier and at the least possible cost to herself”.
Mugambe denied forcing the young Ugandan woman to do household chores and said she “always” treated her with love, care and patience.
The young woman Mugambe tricked into coming to the UK, who cannot be named for legal reasons, told the court previously she felt “lonely” and “stuck” after her working hours were limited.
According to her UN profile page, Mugambe was appointed to the body’s judicial roster in May 2023 – three months after police were called to her address in Oxfordshire.
She will be sentenced at a later date.
