In a landmark verdict that has sent shockwaves through legal and diplomatic circles, Lady Justice Lydia Mugambe, a distinguished Ugandan High Court judge and United Nations tribunal member, has been convicted by an Oxford Crown Court jury on multiple charges, including modern slavery and immigration offenses. Prosecutors detailed how Mugambe exploited her esteemed positions to deceive a vulnerable young Ugandan woman into traveling to the UK under the pretense of employment, only to subject her to forced servitude as a domestic worker in her Oxfordshire residence. The court heard that Mugambe confiscated the victim’s passport and visa upon arrival, effectively stripping her of autonomy and any means to seek help.
The case’s complexity deepened with revelations of Mugambe’s collaboration with John Leonard Mugerwa, the then Deputy High Commissioner at the Ugandan Embassy in London. Mugerwa facilitated the victim’s visa under the guise of employment in his household, but the real intent was for the victim to serve Mugambe in exploitative conditions. Despite evidence of his involvement, Mugerwa evaded prosecution due to diplomatic immunity, raising concerns about accountability in cases where powerful individuals abuse their privileges. This aspect of the case underscores the challenges of prosecuting human trafficking crimes when diplomatic protections are involved.
Mugambe’s credentials made her fall from grace even more striking. As a High Court judge in Uganda and a member of a UN criminal tribunal, she was widely regarded as a defender of justice. At the time of her offenses, she was also pursuing a PhD in law at the University of Oxford. Her conviction has ignited intense debate in Uganda, with many citizens questioning how a legal expert who once championed human rights could be implicated in such a crime. Some critics argue that her impunity in Uganda may have led her to believe she could evade justice abroad, failing to recognize the stringent legal standards in the UK.
Among those reflecting on the case is human rights activist and academic Stella Nyanzi, who previously benefited from Mugambe’s fair rulings in a labor rights case against Makerere University. Expressing her shock, Nyanzi remarked, “Lydia protected my labor rights when the oldest public university was determined to continue violating them. Why would she abuse the labor rights of her employee at home? Lydia protected my reproductive health rights when I was a woman prisoner. Why would she abuse the rights of another woman helping her to raise her children in her home in Oxford? Many questions, no answers.”
International lawyer and human rights activist Kakwenza Rukirabasaijja appearing on BBC News Africa offered a scathing critique of Mugambe’s downfall, stating, “That’s a typical Ugandan judge—the mentality of thinking that since their impunity is unchecked in Uganda, the same would go unchecked in civilized societies like the UK. She attempted to hide behind undeserved diplomatic immunity, but she was countered with a razor-sharp functioning system where no one is above the law.” His remarks highlight the broader concerns about unchecked judicial power in Uganda and the lessons this case sets for those who believe legal immunity can be stretched beyond national borders.
Mugambe is scheduled for sentencing on May 2, 2025. Her conviction serves as a stark reminder that positions of power and prestige do not grant immunity from the law, especially in jurisdictions committed to upholding human rights and justice. As Ugandans continue to debate the implications of her downfall, this case sets a precedent for accountability, proving that even the most powerful figures are not beyond the reach of the law when their actions violate fundamental human rights.
