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London, UK – A 71-year-old Nigerian grandmother, Janet Olufunke Damiro, has been sacked from her cleaning job at the London School of Economics (LSE) after being accused of stealing a gold bracelet she found during her shift.
Janet, who moved to the UK from Nigeria in 1971 and worked at LSE for 13 years, insists it was an honest mistake, but the university dismissed her for “gross misconduct” in April 2025, leaving her devastated and jobless.
Janet told Metro UK she found the bracelet at the Saw Swee Hock Students’ Centre and put it in her purse to keep it safe, intending to hand it in later. “I forgot about it,” she said tearfully. “Three days later, when management asked, I gave it back immediately and apologised.” Despite her clean record and heartfelt apology, LSE suspended her and later fired her. “I can’t sleep.
It was my only job, and I loved working there. I’ve never been to HR before. They treated me badly,” she added.
Over 70 colleagues rallied to her defence, writing to LSE to praise her “professionalism and dedication.” A petition by students demands her reinstatement, calling the punishment “deeply disturbing” for a “minor mistake.”
Her union, United Voices of the World (UVW), is suing LSE, arguing the dismissal was unfair. “I’m not a thief. At my age, you can forget things,” Janet said, worried about paying rent and bills. “Who will employ me now?”
