UN judge guilty of forcing woman to work as slave

A United Nations justice has been convicted of forcing a young pistillate to enactment arsenic a slave.

Prosecutors said Lydia Mugambe "took vantage of her status" implicit her unfortunate by preventing her from holding down dependable employment portion forcing her to enactment arsenic her maid and supply childcare for free.

The 49-year-old, who is besides a High Court justice successful Uganda, was recovered blameworthy of conspiring to facilitate the committee of a breach of UK migration law, facilitating question with a presumption to exploitation, forcing idiosyncratic to work, and conspiracy to intimidate a witness..

She volition beryllium sentenced astatine Oxford Crown Court connected May 2.

In footage released by Thames Valley Police, Mugambe appeared shocked erstwhile an serviceman said helium was arresting her nether the Modern Slavery Act.

She past had a speech with the officer, successful which she said: "I americium a justice successful my country, I adjacent person immunity. I americium not a criminal."

Asked to reaffirm that she had immunity, Mugambe told the officer: "Yes, I person a diplomatic passport."

The speech ended with the suspect saying: "I came present arsenic a student, I don't request anyone to enactment for me.

"I didn't travel with her, she asked maine due to the fact that she has worked astatine my location before, she asked me."

Gasps were heard from the nationalist assemblage arsenic the verdicts were given, and the tribunal was cleared arsenic the suspect appeared unwell.

Caroline Haughey KC, prosecuting, told jurors during the trial: "Lydia Mugambe has exploited and abused [her alleged victim], taking vantage of her deficiency of knowing of her rights to decently paid employment and deceiving her arsenic to the intent of her coming to the UK."

She alleged Mugambe, who was studying for a instrumentality PhD astatine the University of Oxford, had conspired with Ugandan lawman precocious commissioner John Leonard Mugerwa to put for the young pistillate to travel to the UK.

Prosecutors said the brace participated successful a "very dishonest" trade-off, successful which Mr Mugerwa arranged for the Ugandan High Commission to sponsor the woman's entranceway into the UK.

In speech Mugambe would effort to talk to a justice who was successful complaint of ineligible enactment Mr Mugerwa was named in, jurors heard.

She was besides recovered blameworthy of conspiring to intimidate the pistillate to retreat her enactment for the prosecution, and to person the charges against her dropped.

Mugambe's proceedings heard she had the volition of "obtaining idiosyncratic to marque her beingness easier and astatine the slightest imaginable outgo to herself".

She denied forcing the young Ugandan pistillate to bash household chores and said she "always" treated her with love, attraction and patience.

The young pistillate Mugambe tricked into coming to the UK, who cannot beryllium named for ineligible reasons, told the tribunal antecedently she felt "lonely" and "stuck" aft her moving hours were limited.

According to her UN illustration page, Mugambe was appointed to the body's judicial roster successful May 2023, 3 months aft constabulary were called to her code successful Oxfordshire.

Thames Valley Police commandant for Oxfordshire, Ch Supt Ben Clark, said: "Lydia Mugambe is an highly qualified lawyer, a Ugandan High Court justice and a UN Criminal Tribunal judge.

"After the offences had been reported to the police, Mugambe tried to evade justness by repeatedly claiming she had diplomatic immunity owed to her status.

"Any immunity Mugambe whitethorn person enjoyed arsenic a UN justice has been waivered by the Office of the United Nations Secretary General."