- Fujitsu bosses will reply questions from MPs subsequent Tuesday concerning the system
Post Office managers are being compelled to belief the IT agency on the coronary heart of the Horizon scandal to clear their names – as a result of it additionally runs Britain’s legal information system.
Victims who have been wrongly convicted of fraud and theft described it as ‘perverse’ and ‘one other slap within the face’ immediately as they attempt to piece their lives again collectively.
They additionally vowed to convey down the Japanese tech agency Fujitsu by exposing the Post Office scandal in its dwelling nation, the place a conventional ‘tradition of disgrace’ can destroy companies.
Fujitsu bosses will reply questions from MPs on the enterprise and commerce committee subsequent Tuesday concerning the flawed Horizon accounting system.
Post Office minister Kevin Hollinrake will attend the proof session, and Alan Bates, the previous subpostmaster who introduced a declare in opposition to the Post Office and was the topic of an ITV drama, Mr Bates vs The Post Office, which thrust the scandal again into the highlight, has additionally been invited.
Post Office minister Kevin Hollinrake (pictured) will attend the proof session
Images of the submit workplace Fujitsu Horizon IT system from the yr 2000
Post Office managers are being compelled to belief the IT agency on the coronary heart of the Horizon scandal to clear their names – as a result of it additionally runs Britain’s legal information system
Pictured is Katherine Kelly as Angela, Lia Williams as Paula and Ian Hart as Bob Ruthjeford within the ITV present Mr Bates vs Post Office
Chris Trousdale, 41, who was left with PTSD after Horizon wrongly reported £7,800 was lacking from his submit workplace in North Yorkshire, stated: ‘Fujitsu has by no means been correctly held to account.
‘It’s perverse that we now have to depend on them to take away our names from the legal information database.’
Fujitsu signed a £48million deal in 2022 to keep up the Police National Computer, which shops particulars of all convictions and cautions, and fingerprint and DNA knowledge.
In 2021, an error within the system led to the lack of 413,000 information of police proof.
Postmasters whose convictions are overturned can ask the Criminal Records Office to expunge their information, however Fujitsu is chargeable for eradicating the information.
Today victims stated they’d been approached by ex-Fujitsu workers who labored on Horizon.
A supply stated: ‘Some whistleblowers have come ahead after watching the ITV drama, and we hope they may agree to provide proof on the public inquiry.’
Downing Street stated Fujitsu will likely be ‘held accountable’ if the general public inquiry finds it blundered.
Fujitsu acknowledged the ‘devastating influence’ Horizon had on postmasters’ lives, including: ‘Fujitsu has apologised for its position of their struggling. Fujitsu is dedicated to supporting the inquiry.’