Nigerian grandmother, 71, sacked from cleaner job at London university over ‘misplaced bracelet’

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After being fired from her 13-year job due to a “misplaced bracelet,” a grandmother is battling to clear her name.

The 71-year-old Janet Olufunke Damiro is charged with stealing a bracelet that she allegedly discovered while working at the London School of Economics.

Following Janet’s statement that it was a “innocent case of forgetfulness,” more than 70 of her coworkers have already written to the university to defend her character.

After putting the gold bracelet in her purse to keep it safe during her shift, the maid, who arrived in the UK from Nigeria in 1971, told Metro she forgot about it.

When the university administration questioned her about the misplaced item, she promptly returned it from her purse.

She apologized profusely, but by the end of April 2025, she was suspended and subsequently fired for serious misconduct.

Janet told Metro: “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.

“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.”

The grandmother claims that the dismissal has “broken” her.

She worries about making ends meet and paying her rent because she has been “left without a job, without income, and without justice.”

The United Voices of the World (UVW) Union, Janet’s union, has appealed the ruling and has been defending Janet’s cause at disciplinary sessions.

Their spokesperson told Metro: “It is ludicrous and absurd that someone can conclude she was committing an act of theft.

“It is common sense. If you were to steal an item, you’re not going to keep bringing it back to where you’ve stolen it.

“Janet is absolutely horrified at the thought that anyone would think she had stolen anything.

“The level of scrutiny that she has been placed under is totally disproportionate to Janet’s cooperation, honesty and track record.”

Since the matter is still pending, an LSE representative declined to comment.

LSE students and Janet’s coworkers have defended her.

Ahead of an appeal hearing, more than 70 of her coworkers, including three supervisors, have written to LSE’s management to support her.

According to a letter Metro saw, coworkers “confidently speak to her professionalism and dedication.”

“Janet has always conducted herself with integrity and consistently demonstrated a strong work ethic.”

To urge that LSE restore the long-time cleaner to her job, a group of LSE students has created a petition.

The petition says, “it is deeply disturbing that LSE would seek such sweeping punishment for a minor mistake.”

Following Janet’s caseworker’s opening remarks at a dramatic appeal hearing on May 22, the hearing was postponed. A new hearing date has been established for later in June after LSE deferred the entire appeal procedure.

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