A 71-year-old Nigerian woman, Janet Olufunke Damiro, has been dismissed from her cleaning job at the London School of Economics (LSE) after she was accused of stealing a gold bracelet, a claim she strongly denies, insisting it was a genuine case of forgetfulness.
The British tabloid, Metro UK, reported on Thursday that Damiro, who moved to the United Kingdom from Nigeria in 1971, had served diligently at LSE for 13 years before the accusation led to her suspension and eventual dismissal in April for alleged gross misconduct.
According to Damiro, she found the bracelet during her shift and placed it in her purse, intending to turn it in later. She said she forgot about it until she was questioned by management three days afterward, at which point she returned the item.
“I can’t sleep. I have never had a bad record or been to HR before in my life,” she said. “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.”
Her dismissal has drawn support from over 70 of her colleagues, including three supervisors, who jointly submitted a letter to the LSE management in her defence.
“Janet has always conducted herself with integrity and consistently demonstrated a strong work ethic,” the letter read.
Her trade union, United Voices of the World (UVW), has also taken up her case. In a statement last month, UVW criticised the university’s handling of the matter and filed an appeal against her dismissal.
Speaking with the union, Damiro expressed frustration at how the situation has been handled and how it has affected her personally.
“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,” she said. “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?”
When contacted, the university declined to make any public statement, citing the ongoing nature of the appeal process.
Meanwhile, students of LSE have launched a petition calling for her reinstatement. They described the disciplinary action as “deeply disturbing” and argued that the punishment was excessive for what they believe was a minor mistake.
An appeal hearing originally slated for May 22 was adjourned, with a new date now scheduled for later in June.
