London, UK – A 71-year-old Nigerian grandmother, Janet Olufunke Damiro, has been dismissed from her cleaning position at the London School of Economics (LSE) following an accusation of stealing a bracelet.
According to a report by British tabloid newspaper Metro UK, Ms. Damiro, who emigrated to the UK from Nigeria in 1971 and had worked at LSE for 13 years, stated that she found a gold bracelet during her shift and intended to hand it in later, but inadvertently forgot it in her purse.
She returned the item three days later when questioned by management. However, she was subsequently suspended and then dismissed in April on grounds of gross misconduct.
Ms. Damiro expressed distress over the dismissal, stating, “I can’t sleep. I have never had a bad record or been to HR before in my life. LSE have treated me really badly. It was my only job, and I loved working there. I never expected to be suspended or dismissed. I did not steal this thing. If I see any items, I always hand them over.” She added, “This is the first time in my life I have had a problem like this since I came to this country. It is really bugging me.”
More than 70 of her colleagues, including three supervisors, have written to LSE management in her defence, asserting her honesty and professionalism. Their letter reportedly stated, “Janet has always conducted herself with integrity and consistently demonstrated a strong work ethic.”
Her trade union, United Voices of the World (UVW), criticised the university’s handling of the situation and appealed the dismissal last month. Speaking to UVW, Ms. Damiro reiterated, “I don’t steal. I’m not a thief. I’ve worked at LSE for over 10 years without any problems. I just forgot. At my age, you can forget like that. They look at me like I’m a thief. It’s unfair. I’ve not been myself at all, I don’t sleep at night. I don’t have a job now, but I have to pay my rent and bills. Who’s going to employ me at this age?”
The university has declined public comment on the matter, citing the ongoing nature of the case. Meanwhile, LSE students have launched a petition calling for Ms. Damiro’s reinstatement, describing the punishment as “deeply disturbing” for what they consider a “minor mistake.”
An appeal hearing, initially scheduled for May 22, was adjourned and has been rescheduled for later in June.
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