The Traffic

Oxford UN Judge Jailed After Keeping Maid as Slave in Shocking Modern Slavery Case

By Achimi Muktar

In a case that has stunned the legal world, a United Nations judge and Oxford University PhD student, Lydia Mugambe, has been sentenced to six years and four months in prison after being found guilty of keeping a young Ugandan woman as a domestic slave in her Oxfordshire home.

Mugambe, 50, a High Court judge in Uganda known for her work on human rights, was convicted in March of modern slavery offences and sentenced Friday at Oxford Crown Court. Despite her esteemed career, including her studies at one of the world’s most prestigious universities, her fall from grace has exposed a harrowing story of abuse, manipulation, and exploitation.

The court heard how Mugambe fraudulently arranged a visa for the woman, claiming she would work at the diplomatic residence of John Mugerwa, Uganda’s former deputy high commissioner. In reality, the young woman was brought directly into servitude at Mugambe’s home in Kidlington, where she worked unpaid as a maid and nanny.

Shockingly, Mugambe had struck a secret deal with Mr. Mugerwa: he sponsored the visa in exchange for her assistance with a court case he was facing in Uganda. Though the Crown Prosecution Service later authorized charges against Mugerwa for conspiracy, he escaped prosecution due to diplomatic immunity—protection the Ugandan government refused to waive.

Bodycam footage from the arrest captured Mugambe’s defiance, as she attempted to invoke diplomatic immunity, telling officers, “I even have immunity,” while being led away in handcuffs.

Judge David Foxton didn’t mince words during sentencing. He criticized Mugambe for showing "absolutely no remorse" and attempting to shift blame onto the victim—a woman who prosecutors said lived in “almost constant fear” due to Mugambe’s powerful status back in Uganda.

“She was treated as worthless,” prosecutor Caroline Haughey KC told the court, adding that Mugambe had manipulated the victim’s ignorance of her rights and misled her from the very start.

The victim, whose identity remains protected, spoke of her suffering through a written statement. “I can't go back to Uganda,” she wrote. “I may never see my mother again.” Her statement painted a grim picture of isolation and fear, far from the protection and support she should have received.

Despite Mugambe’s attempts to defend her actions, claiming she treated the woman with "love, care, and patience," the evidence painted a damning picture. Chief Superintendent Ben Clark of Thames Valley Police made it clear: “There’s no doubt she knew what she was doing. Modern slavery is an under-reported crime, and I hope the victim’s bravery encourages others to come forward.”

Oxford University has also distanced itself from Mugambe. A spokesperson expressed the institution’s disgust, confirming that disciplinary proceedings are underway that could result in her expulsion: “The university is appalled by its student’s crimes.”

As the dust settles on this deeply troubling case, the message is clear: no title, status, or education can shield perpetrators from justice when they choose to exploit the vulnerable.