A United Nations human rights judge, Lydia Mugambe, has been convicted of trafficking and abusing a young Ugandan woman.

Jurors on Thursday found Ms Mugambe, a high court judge in Uganda, guilty of breaching the UK’s immigration laws by bringing the young woman into the country to force her to work without pay, Guardian UK reported.

Ms Mugambe, 49, was accused of conspiring to UK immigration law by facilitating travel to exploit the victim and conspire to intimidate a witness after a trial at Oxford Crown Court.

During the trial, the prosecutor, Caroline Haughey, told the court that Ms Mugambe, who was studying for a law PhD at the University of Oxford, engaged in “illegal folly” by arranging for the victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, to come to the UK from Uganda.

However, upon her arrival in the UK, Ms Mugambe seized control of the victim’s identification documents while forcing her to work as her maid and to provide childcare without remuneration.

The disgraced judge also prevented the victim from seeking a better job to make her life easier and at the least possible cost to herself, the court heard.

“Lydia Mugambe has exploited and abused the victim and taken 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,” Ms Haughey said.

She added, “On her arrival, she was made to work for Lydia Mugambe from the very start, unremunerated and acting as a maid and for childcare to give Mugambe back her life.”

“A young woman brought in for the convenience of Ms Mugambe’s life but mistreated by Ms Mugambe, a woman of power and intelligence who had no qualms in lying not only to [the young woman but to the police when they sought to ensure her safety and wellbeing,” stressed Ms Haughey.

Meanwhile, footage released by Thames Valley police in the course of Ms Mugambe’s arrest showed that the judge was shocked because she was arrested under the Modern Slavery Act.

“I am a judge in my country; I even have immunity. I am not a criminal. Yes, I have a diplomatic passport,” Ms Mugambe told the police.

Ms Mugambe — a high court judge in Uganda between 2013 and 2020— was appointed to the UN judicial roster in May 2023.

She will be sentenced on May 2, 2025.