A 71-year-old Nigerian grandmother, Janet Olufunke Damiro, has been dismissed from her cleaning job at the London School of Economics (LSE) after being accused of stealing a gold bracelet—a claim she strongly denies.
According to a report by Metro UK on Thursday, Damiro, who has lived in the United Kingdom since 1971 and worked at LSE for 13 years, said she mistakenly kept the bracelet in her purse after discovering it during a shift, intending to return it later. She handed it in three days later after being questioned by management but was suspended and subsequently dismissed in April for gross misconduct.
“I can’t sleep. I’ve never had a bad record or any HR issues in my life,” Damiro told Metro. “LSE treated me badly. It was my only job, and I loved working there. I never expected to be suspended or dismissed.”
Emphasising her innocence, Damiro said, “I didn’t steal. I always hand over anything I find. This is the first time I’ve ever faced a situation like this since I came to this country. It’s really disturbing.”
More than 70 colleagues, including three supervisors, have signed a letter defending Damiro’s integrity and professionalism. “Janet has always conducted herself with integrity and consistently demonstrated a strong work ethic,” the letter read.
Her union, United Voices of the World (UVW), is appealing the dismissal and has criticised LSE’s handling of the situation. In a statement posted on its website, UVW expressed concern over what it described as a disproportionate response to a minor lapse.
Speaking with UVW, Damiro added, “I don’t steal. I’m not a thief. I’ve worked at LSE for over 10 years with no issues. I just forgot. At my age, you can forget like that. They’re treating me like a criminal. It’s unfair.”
Now unemployed, Damiro is struggling to pay her rent and bills. “Who’s going to employ me at this age?” she asked.
While the university has declined to comment publicly due to the ongoing nature of the case, LSE students have launched a petition demanding her reinstatement, describing the dismissal as “deeply disturbing” and out of proportion for what they view as a “minor mistake.”
An appeal hearing originally set for May 22 was postponed, with a new date scheduled for later in June.
ADEOLA KUNLE
