High Court judge Lydia Mugambe has been convicted of multiple immigration and modern slavery offences following an investigation by the Oxford Crown Court in the United Kingdom.
Lady Justice Mugambe, 49, who was a resident at Lyne Road, Kidlington, while pursuing her doctoral studies at Oxford University, was found guilty by a unanimous jury on Thursday, March 13.
Ms Mugambe was convicted of one count of conspiring to facilitate a breach of UK immigration law, one count of requiring a person to perform forced labour, and one count of conspiracy to intimidate a witness.
She was also found guilty by majority verdict of arranging or facilitating travel for exploitation.
In the UK, modern slavery offences are primarily governed by the Modern Slavery Act 2015, which includes crimes like slavery, forced labour, and human trafficking.
Offenders convicted of these crimes – all of which Judge Mugambe is culpable of – face life imprisonment as the maximum penalty, particularly for serious offences like slavery and trafficking.
Caroline Haughey KC, prosecuting, told jurors during the trial: “Lydia Mugambe has exploited and abused [her alleged victim], taking advantage of her lack of understanding of her rights to properly paid employment and deceiving her as to the purpose of her coming to the UK.”
Jurors accepted the prosecution’s case that Mugambe – who was studying for a law PhD at the University of Oxford – had engaged in “illegal folly” with Ugandan deputy high commissioner John Leonard Mugerwa in which they conspired to arrange for the young woman to come to the UK.
The case began on February 10, 2023, when Thames Valley Police received a report about a woman being held as a slave at Mugambe’s address in Brasenose Drive, Kidlington.
Following a protracted investigation involving multiple agencies, it was revealed that Ms Mugambe had obtained a visa for the victim to work in the UK, under the false pretense that the woman would work for John Leonard Mugerwa, the then Deputy High Commissioner at the Ugandan Embassy in London.
Judge Mugambe paid for the victim’s flight and met her at the airport, but upon arrival, the victim was forced into unpaid domestic work as a maid and nanny.
The prosecution argued that while Judge Mugerwa sponsored the victim’s entry to the UK as a domestic worker, the terms of the visa were exploited by Judge Mugambe, who had no authority to sponsor a visa as a student in the UK.
Communications between Judge Mugambe and Amb Mugerwa indicated that Judge Mugerwa was aware the victim would actually be forced into servitude for Judge Mugambe in exchange for assistance in a separate court case in Uganda.
The Thames Valley Police said that although it investigated Amb Mugerwa’s role, he was protected by diplomatic immunity, which the Ugandan government did not waive, preventing him from facing charges.
Meanwhile, the Thames Valley Police say Judge Mugambe initially attempted to evade justice by claiming diplomatic immunity, citing her status as a Ugandan High Court Judge and later as a United Nations Judge.
However, the United Nations waived any immunity she may have had, allowing the case to proceed.
Prosecutors said the pair participated 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.
During the trial, the court heard that Mugambe 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 is convicted of tricking 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.
Judge Mugambe is scheduled to be sentenced at Oxford Crown Court on May 2, 2025.
