Janet Olufunke Damiro, a 71-year-old Nigerian woman who worked as a cleaner at the London School of Economics (LSE), has been dismissed from her job after being accused of stealing a gold bracelet. The incident, first reported by Metro UK, has sparked outcry from her colleagues and supporters.
Damiro, who migrated to the UK in 1971 and had worked at LSE for over 13 years, said she found the bracelet during her shift and placed it in her purse, intending to return it later.
She eventually returned the item three days later when asked about it by management. Despite this, she was suspended and subsequently fired in April on the grounds of gross misconduct.
“I can’t sleep. I have never had a bad record or been to HR before in my life. LSE have treated me 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. This is the first time in my life I have had a problem like this since I came to this country. It is bugging me.”
Damiro’s colleagues defend her
In her defence, more than 70 of her colleagues, including three supervisors, have signed a letter to LSE management, praising Damiro’s character and work ethic. “Janet has always conducted herself with integrity and consistently demonstrated a strong work ethic,” the letter stated.
Her union, United Voices of the World (UVW), has taken up her case and criticised LSE’s decision. In a statement on their website, they confirmed they are appealing her dismissal.
“I don’t steal. I’m not a thief,” Damiro said in an interview with UVW. “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 so far declined to issue a public statement, citing the ongoing appeal process. Meanwhile, students at LSE have started a petition demanding her reinstatement, calling the disciplinary action “deeply disturbing” for what they see as an honest mistake.
An appeal hearing, initially set for May 22, was postponed. A new date has been scheduled for later in June.
