United Nations Judge Lydia Mugambe Convicted of Modern Slavery

By Bénédict Tarot Freeman•March 25, 2025•

14 min read

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United Nations Judge Lydia Mugambe Convicted of Modern Slavery

UN Judge Lydia Mugambe has been convicted of modern slavery after exploiting vulnerable workers in the UK.

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United Nations Judge Lydia Mugambe Convicted of Modern Slavery

Bénédict Tarot Freeman
Mar 25
5 min read

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A judge sitting on the has been of modern slavery offences after a jury found she without pay, taking advantage of her position of power and influence.

, also a , was at of relating to the illegal entry, exploitation, and coercion of her victim. She was convicted of:

Prosecutors described the case as one of , in which Mugambe about the nature of her role in the UK, , and sought to .

The jury was told that the young woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, , with her visa application claiming she was to be employed in a diplomatic household under the .

In reality, the court heard, this was part of a , where Mr Mugerwa while Mugambe attempted to use her judicial influence to assist Mr Mugerwa in legal proceedings he was facing.

Jurors were told that upon arrival, the victim was at Mugambe’s home in Oxfordshire, performing household chores and providing childcare .

Prosecutor said the victim was , , and was ultimately by someone with .

The jury heard that Mugambe of the victim’s , misleading her into believing that the conditions she endured were .

The prosecution described her conduct as while maintaining a façade of legitimacy. When the victim , she was .

Evidence presented at trial revealed that . Officers located the victim at a . The court heard that she had been able to leave the house on limited occasions but had and was living in a state of .

The jury was further told that Mugambe, when confronted by police, . Body-worn camera footage from the arrest was played to the jury, in which she at being detained under the , telling officers: When questioned further, Mugambe , citing her .

However, Mugambe , and her claim was . Under the , immunity is who have been formally recognised by the host country and listed on its official diplomatic register.

While Mugambe , this alone did not confer immunity under UK law. The court heard that she was neither an accredited diplomat nor listed as a protected individual under the UK Foreign Office’s records. Furthermore, .

The prosecution highlighted this contradiction, pointing to the irony that a senior judicial figure on the UN roster should have been fully aware of the legal principles surrounding diplomatic immunity. Ms Haughey KC told the jury: "It is remarkable that someone of Ms Mugambe’s legal standing, a judge appointed to a United Nations judicial role, would attempt to claim an immunity that she knew full well she did not possess."

During the trial, the defence, led by , sought to challenge the prosecution’s claims, arguing that the victim to work for Mugambe and had not been subject to coercion or exploitation. , denying that she had ever and insisting that she .

Under cross-examination, she was asked whether she had ever , to which she replied:

However, the jury , finding her guilty on , with a returned on the final count of .

The case highlighted the in the commission of , with prosecutors describing the conspiracy between as .

The court was told that Mugambe’s , expecting her position .

According to , Mugambe was appointed to the , three months after in connection with the allegations.

During closing arguments, told the jury: She went on to state that the victim had been , adding that Mugambe had been .

The victim, in her own testimony, described feeling , stating that her , and that she had while living under Mugambe’s control.

Mugambe, who has been , .

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United Nations Judge Lydia Mugambe Convicted of Modern Slavery

Bénédict Tarot Freeman
Mar 25
5 min read