news.volyx.in

Post Office lied and threatened BBC over Fujitsu dev whistleblower (bbc.co.uk)

525 points by johndunne · 951 days ago · 298 comments on HN

Article summary

The Post Office in the UK threatened and lied to the BBC to suppress evidence about the Horizon scandal, which led to the wrongful prosecution of over 700 sub-postmasters. A whistleblower from Fujitsu, the company that built and maintained the Horizon system, revealed that accounts could be secretly altered, contradicting the Post Office's claims. The Post Office's attempts to suppress the evidence ultimately failed, and the scandal has led to a public inquiry and the overturning of convictions. The Post Office has been criticized for its handling of the scandal, including its attempts to intimidate and smear those involved.

Main themes

  • Post Office scandal
  • Horizon system
  • wrongful prosecution
  • cover-up
  • accountability
  • government corruption

What commenters say

  • The Post Office's actions were a clear attempt to cover up the scandal and avoid accountability.
  • The fact that no one has been held accountable for the scandal is a major concern and a failure of the justice system.
  • The lawyers and executives involved in the scandal should be held criminally responsible for their actions.
  • The government and the Post Office are still not taking sufficient action to compensate the victims of the scandal.
  • The scandal highlights the need for greater transparency and accountability in government and corporate institutions.
  • The use of expensive lawyers and PR tactics to fight against the victims' appeals is a disgusting and unjust practice.
  • The fact that the Horizon system is still in use and causing problems is a major concern and a sign of the government's failure to address the issue.
  • The awarding of honors and titles to those involved in the scandal, such as Paula Vennells, is a sign of a broken system that rewards wrongdoing.