UK police have initiated an investigation into potential fraud offences linked to the post office scandal, considered one of the most egregious miscarriages of justice in British legal history.
Over 700 individuals operating local post offices faced criminal convictions between 1999 and 2005 due to faulty accounting software falsely indicating missing funds.
The renewed attention to these prosecutions comes in the wake of a television drama depicting a branch manager's struggle for justice, recently aired in the UK. The Metropolitan Police in London announced on Friday that they are actively probing potential fraud offences arising from these convictions, including money recovered through civil actions.
This investigation, which commenced in January 2020, is an extension of the Met's existing inquiries into possible crimes of perjury and perverting the course of justice related to Post Office investigations and prosecutions. While two individuals have been interviewed under caution, no arrests have been made thus far.
The scandal revolves around the Horizon IT system, developed by the Japanese technology giant Fujitsu. Installed by the Post Office in the late '90s, programming flaws led to inaccuracies in branch accounts. Post Office executives, unwilling to acknowledge software issues, compelled workers to repay shortfalls, resulting in imprisonments, financial losses, joblessness, and even homelessness for some.
A High Court judge in December 2019 confirmed the presence of "bugs, errors, and defects" in the system. To date, 86 postmasters have had their convictions overturned, and £21 million ($26 million) has been paid in compensation. In September, the UK government announced payouts of hundreds of thousands of pounds for every wrongfully convicted postmaster.
The recent airing of the television series "Mr Bates vs the Post Office" on ITV has led to 50 potential new victims contacting lawyers, as reported by British media. The public inquiry continues to unravel the extent of this miscarriage of justice and its profound impact on those wrongfully accused.
