A tragic incident at a London prison sheds light on a crucial flaw in the communication system that could have potentially prevented a man’s suicide. Isaiah Adekunle Olugosi took his own life in a cell at Wormwood Scrubs between 27 and 28 March 2022. His wife, who had driven 60 miles to the facility, was unable to alert the prison staff due to a broken intercom and diverted phone line, according to a coroner’s report.
The assistant coroner for west London, Richard Furniss, highlighted the long-standing issue with the broken intercom, which had been out of action for several years. Frustratingly, calls to the prison were being diverted to an unmanned or obsolete number, preventing Olugosi’s wife, Cambridgeshire Police, and the Metropolitan Police from reaching the facility to warn them about the situation.
Despite driving for two hours and attempting to communicate by banging on the main gate and pressing a non-functional buzzer, Olugosi’s wife and the authorities failed to reach the prison all night. Tragically, Olugosi took his own life, as confirmed by a jury inquest that concluded he died by suicide.
In response to the incident, Mr. Furniss emphasized the importance of a functional communication system between the prison and the outside world. He expressed concern over the prison’s failure to address the broken buzzer/intercom system, which could pose a risk of similar tragedies in the future. The prison governor has been urged to provide a response to the report by 21 April regarding the actions taken or planned to address the issue, while the Ministry of Justice is yet to comment on the matter
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