Judge Mugambe sentenced to 6 years over slavery

By James Kabengwa

Lydia Mugambe Ssali, an Ugandan lawyer and former High Court judge, has been sentenced to six years and 10 months for multiple modern slavery offenses in the United Kingdom.

Mugambe was appointed as a High Court judge in Uganda in 2013 and served until 2020. She was later appointed as the Inspector General of Government (IGG) in September 2020. Mugambe also served as a judge at the United Nations International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals.

In August 2024, Mugambe was charged with conspiracy to facilitate a breach of UK immigration law, arrangement or facilitation of travel for exploitation, and requiring an individual to engage in forced labor.

Following an investigation by Thames Valley Police, a Ugandan High Court Judge and a United Nations Criminal Tribunal Judge has been sentenced for immigration and modern slavery offences in Oxfordshire.

Lydia Mugambe, aged 50, of Lyne Road, Kidlington, has today (2/5) been sentenced to six years and four months’ imprisonment.

She has also been given a restraining order and compensation of £12,160 has been awarded to the victim, who has lifetime anonymity.

Following a trial, which took place in February and March this year, a jury found Mugambe guilty of:

• One count of conspiring to do an act to facilitate the commission of a breach of UK immigration law by a non-UK national;
• One count of requiring a person to perform forced or compulsory labour;
• One count of conspiracy to intimidate a witness;
• One count of arranging or facilitating travel of another person with a view to exploitation.

On 10 February 2023, Thames Valley Police received a report that the victim in this case, a woman, was being held as a slave by Mugambe at her then address in Brasenose Drive, Kidlington.

A protracted and complex investigation involving a number of partners then ensued, during which Thames Valley Police established that Mugambe had obtained a visa for the victim to work in the UK.

However, the terms of this visa were that the victim would be paid to work for the then Deputy High Commissioner at the Ugandan Embassy in London, John Mugerwa.

Mugambe paid for the victim’s plane ticket to the UK, picked her up from the airport, and thereafter the victim became Mugambe’s slave, carrying out unpaid work as a domestic maid and nanny.

It was the prosecution’s case that Mugerwa sponsored the victim’s entry into the UK as a domestic worker in his personal household but under the auspices of the Ugandan High Commission, which in his diplomatic role, he was entitled to do, whereas Mugambe could not sponsor a visa as she was a student in the UK at that time.

The prosecution argued that communications between Mugambe and Mugerwa demonstrated that Mugerwa facilitated the victim’s visa in the knowledge she would actually work in servitude for Mugambe, and in return that Mugambe would provide him assistance in relation to a separate court case in Uganda.

Thames Valley Police investigated Mugerwa’s involvement in its case, relating to immigration offence only. The Crown Prosecution Service authorised a charge in respect of conspiracy for Mugerwa, but he had diplomatic immunity, which the Ugandan Government did not waive, meaning he could not be charged with any offences.

The victim, who has anonymity for life, said: “My existence to Lydia was not important.

“At first, life was not bad. Lydia promised me things, and I believed her.

“But in a short time, things changed and she did not do as she had promised.

“It made me feel unhappy, as I couldn’t speak to her as I feared her.

“Even after the police had visited her house on first occasion, Lydia told me she had the authority and that she would burn my passport and bank card. She also said she would call the police because I was in the UK illegally.

“I was fearful and worried. I was asking for God to help me.

“I should have been treated humanely, not treated as useless or worthless.

“I now find it extremely difficult to introduce myself to people. If anyone asks me questions, I will very weary.

“I’m hoping for good things in the future. Everyone in the UK has freedom to speak and people are respected.”

Commander for Oxfordshire, Chief Superintendent Ben Clark said: “Lydia Mugambe is an extremely qualified lawyer, a Ugandan High Court Judge and a UN Criminal Tribunal Judge. As such, there is no doubt that she knew she was committing offences.

“Modern slavery is an under reported crime and I hope that the bravery of the victim in this case encourages other victims of modern slavery to come forward.

A Ugandan community in Oxford where Mugambe lived protested the judicial process.