A 71-year-old Nigerian-British grandmother is fighting to restore her reputation after being dismissed from her job at the London School of Economics (LSE), where she had worked diligently for over 13 years.
Janet Olufunke Damiro, a cleaner originally from Nigeria, was terminated following accusations that she stole a gold bracelet during one of her shifts at the prestigious university.
She insists the incident was an innocent case of forgetfulness, saying she placed the bracelet in her purse for safekeeping and later forgot about it until questioned.
Despite handing over the item as soon as she was approached by university management, she was suspended from her role and eventually dismissed for alleged gross misconduct in April.
Janet told Metro that the experience has left her devastated. “I can’t sleep. I’ve worked honestly all my life and never faced anything like this,” she said.
She expressed disbelief at the university’s actions, saying: “It was my only job. I loved working there. I never imagined this would happen after so many years of loyal service.”
The grandmother-of-many maintains her innocence, stating: “If I see anything lost, I return it. I have never stolen anything. I forgot I had the bracelet—it was a genuine mistake.”
Janet has lived in the UK since 1971 and says this is the first time in over five decades that she’s found herself in such serious trouble.
The loss of her job has had a significant impact on her well-being. She described herself as “broken” and is now concerned about covering basic expenses like rent.
Janet’s union, United Voices of the World (UVW), has launched an appeal against LSE’s decision and is actively representing her in disciplinary proceedings.
A spokesperson for the union labelled the dismissal as “completely disproportionate,” arguing that there’s no logical motive for theft if the item was never taken off the premises.
They added, “Janet has been cooperative throughout. She’s shocked and horrified that her actions were interpreted as theft.”
Union officials also noted that Janet had an unblemished record at the university, never once being summoned to HR prior to the incident.
They further criticised what they described as “unfair scrutiny,” questioning why her actions were treated as criminal without clear evidence of intent.
The London School of Economics declined to comment on the case, citing the ongoing nature of the proceedings.
Support for Janet has grown significantly among her colleagues, with over 70 staff members—including three supervisors—submitting a joint letter in her defence.
In their letter to LSE’s management, her fellow cleaners described her as “professional, trustworthy, and committed to her work.”
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They emphasised her longstanding dedication to the job, saying she “always demonstrated a strong work ethic and personal integrity.”
Janet’s defenders argue that a momentary lapse should not define her career, especially given her spotless record over the years.
In addition to her colleagues, students at the university have also rallied behind her cause.
A group of students launched a petition demanding Janet’s reinstatement, describing her dismissal as a “deeply disturbing overreaction.”
The petition argues that “an honest mistake should not result in the loss of livelihood, especially for a valued staff member of 13 years.”
The situation reached a tense moment during an appeal hearing on 22 May, which was unexpectedly postponed following opening remarks from Janet’s union representative.
LSE has now scheduled a new appeal hearing for later this month, leaving Janet and her supporters anxiously awaiting a final decision.
As the process continues, Janet remains hopeful that her name will be cleared and that she may return to the work she loved.
