A jury in a U.K. court on Thursday convicted a United Nations judge of forcing a young woman to work as a slave after tricking her into coming to the country.
Prosecutors said Lydia Mugambe made the Ugandan woman work as her maid and provide childcare for free.
Mugambe, who is also a high court judge in Uganda, was studying for a PhD at Oxford University when the offenses occurred.
Prosecution lawyer Caroline Haughey told jurors during the trial that the accused “exploited and abused” the victim, deceiving her into coming to the U.K. and taking advantage of her lack of understanding of her rights, Sky News reports.
Mugambe, 49, denied the charges. Jurors at Oxford Crown Court convicted her on all four charges she faced, including an immigration offense, forcing someone to work and conspiracy to intimidate a witness.
She told police she had “immunity” and was “not a criminal” when she was first arrested, bodycam footage shows:
Lydia Mugambe, a UN & Ugandan judge, has today been convicted of bringing a woman into the country illegally & then forcing her to work as a slave.
— Thames Valley Police (@ThamesVP) March 13, 2025
Mugambe tried to evade justice by claiming she had diplomatic immunity, which has now been removed 🚫
👉 https://t.co/g0nVYCPBl7 pic.twitter.com/duzVQET6Jk
Mugambe was appointed to the United Nations’s judicial roster in May 2023, according to her U.N. profile page. That was three months after police were called to her address in Oxfordshire.
Caroline Haughey KC, for the prosecution, said in court: “Lydia Mugambe has exploited and abused (the woman), 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.”
Gasps were heard from the public gallery as the guilty verdicts were given, and the court was cleared as the defendant appeared unwell.
Mugambe will be sentenced at the same court on 2 May.
