A Nigerian grandmother, Janet Olufunke Damiro, 71, has been sacked from her cleaner job after being accused of stealing a bracelet she claims she found on a shift at the London School of Economics. 

However, over 70 of her colleagues have written to the University to defend her character after Janet said it was an innocent case of forgetfulness.

The cleaner, who came to the UK from Nigeria in 1971, said she forgot about the gold bracelet after she put it in her purse to keep it safe during her shift, and when the

University management asked her about the lost item, she immediately handed it back out of her purse.

Despite profusely apologising, she was suspended and then sacked for gross misconduct at the end of April 2025.

Janet told a local newspaper: “I can’t sleep. I have never had a bad record or been to HR before in my life.

“London School of Economics has 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 grandma said.

She has been “left without a job, without income, and without justice” and is worried about paying rent and making ends meet.

Janet’s union, the United Voices of the World (UVW) Union, has been fighting Janet’s case at disciplinary hearings and has appealed the decision.