The British jury has convicted Lydia Mugambe, a judge affiliated with the United Nations (UN), of forcing a woman into slavery after she deceived the Ugandan woman into travelling to the United Kingdom (UK).
Mugambe, 49, who is a high court judge in Uganda and an appointee to a UN international court as of May 2023, was studying for her PHD in law at the University of Oxford when the crimes occurred.
The Mail Online reported that the prosecution's case was that Mugambe conspired with a Ugandan deputy high commissioner, John Leonard Mugerwa, and they arranged for the young woman to come to the UK masquerading the cruel reality as a legitimate employment opportunity.
It was said her visa sponsorship form showed that she was going to work for the ambassador as a private domestic servant in a diplomatic household under Mugerwa in - the Ugandan Deputy High Commissioner - in North London.
She came to the UK in July 2022.
Prosecutors revealed that the woman was made to work as an unpaid maid and caregiver, effectively turning her into a slave within the confines of Mugambe’s home. Her passport and visa documents were confiscated, leaving her powerless and isolated.
The publication further added that Mugambe exploited and abused the woman, taking advantage of her lack of understanding of her rights to properly paid employment and deceiving her as to the purpose of her coming to the UK.
According to Associated Press News (AP), the victim’s plight was only alleviated when she bravely sought assistance from a friend, who subsequently alerted the authorities.
This intervention ultimately led to legal action and the arrest of Mugambe.
AP added that the prosecution implored the jury to recognise the severity of Mugambe's actions, emphasising that her victim was intentionally misled and exploited during an already vulnerable time.
Ugandan Diplomat who brought a maid from her home country to U.K to serve her as a maid, she was paying her just $136 a month.
Thoughts? pic.twitter.com/4HcPr2Ajgn
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