Uganda extends transfer of convicted offenders act to the UK

KAMPALA, UGANDA | THE INDEPENDENT | The Ugandan government has extended the application of the Transfer of Convicted Offenders Act to the United Kingdom, a move seen as a major step in strengthening international cooperation on justice matters. This development, facilitated through a statutory instrument signed by the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Norbert Mao, on April 3rd, 2025, and gazetted on April 14th, 2025, now enables the transfer of convicted offenders between Uganda and the UK.

The Transfer of Convicted Offenders (Application of Act to the United Kingdom) Instrument, Statutory Instrument No. 37 of 2025, allows for the mutual transfer of convicted persons between Uganda and other Commonwealth nations, particularly the UK, to serve prison sentences. The agreement covers nationals of either country, subject to established conditions.

However, legal sources and high-profile individuals—who requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter—suggest the statutory instrument was fast-tracked to facilitate the return of Ugandan judge, Lady Justice Lydia Mugambe, who was recently convicted in the UK. On March 13th, 2025, the Oxford Crown Court found Justice Mugambe guilty on four counts: trafficking a Ugandan woman to the UK under false pretenses, forced labor, an immigration offense, and conspiracy to intimidate a witness.

According to a report by Voice of America (VOA), UK prosecutors argued that Mugambe deceived a Ugandan woman into traveling to the UK, where she was made to work as a maid and provide childcare without pay. At the time, Mugambe was pursuing a Doctorate in Law at the University of Oxford. During the trial, lead prosecutor Caroline Haughey said Mugambe exploited the victim’s vulnerability and ignorance of her rights.

Mugambe, aged 49, denied all charges but was ultimately convicted. She is scheduled to be sentenced on May 2nd, 2025. Back in Uganda, some legal observers claim the judge was blackmailed by her own maid. Others argue the statutory instrument is a tailored legal move to facilitate her return.

“Universities owe us a tuition refund. They taught us that laws operate in rem, not in personam—but everything in practice seems determined by who, not what. This law is meant to save Justice Mugambe,” said one lawyer familiar with the case, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Another source confirmed that arrangements are already in motion to have Mugambe transferred to Uganda to serve her sentence. When contacted about the intent behind the statutory instrument, Simon Peter Jamba, spokesperson for the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, confirmed the document’s authenticity but declined to comment on Mugambe’s case, saying he was not in a position to speak on the matter at the time.

The Transfer of Convicted Offenders Act (Cap 134) permits the relocation of convicted persons between Uganda and participating Commonwealth countries to allow them to serve their prison terms closer to home. It sets conditions for such transfers and governs how prisoners are treated upon relocation. While the Act has existed for years, its extension to the UK only became official through Statutory Instrument No. 37 of 2025. Justice Mugambe, who was appointed as a United Nations Judge in May 2023, was arrested in August 2024 and has remained in custody in the UK since.

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