PO disaster is a litany of failure
■ I’m surprised this scandal has dragged on so long.
The accusations against the subpostmasters followed the introduction of Fujitsu’s Horizon IT system which has now been proved faulty.
So surely those in charge should have questioned the evidence more closely before criminalising these honest people and destroying their lives and careers?
Not only should these sub-postmasters have their names cleared, they should be compensated substantially by Fujitsu who should have their current government contracts cancelled. The people at the top who were responsible for this gross miscarriage of justice should be held to account and if they are still in post should be sacked without severance pay.
J Randall, Leeds
■ We read about the inadequacy of senior Post Office management and the appalling consequences for sub-post office managers. However, very little scrutiny appears to have been placed on the faulty Horizon computer system. When I worked at a computer software company which handled accounting procedures for large UK organisations, the programmes were tested thoroughly before release. There would then be a period of thorough beta testing in which a few real customers would run the systems. Surely investigators should study the quality of Fujitsu’s testing?
Paul Methven, Winscombe North Somerset
■ Whenever there’s a question about compensation for the sub-postmasters there is an aside that it will come from taxpayers, yet it was never a concern when taxpayers’ money was used to prosecute them. Money was not an issue.
Since the fault was with the Fujitsu computer system, surely they should fund much of the compensation? After all, they profited from its sale and before the system was ever installed there should have been thorough testing to ensure it worked.
Lynn Manning, Dagenham East London
■ Senior Post Office staff being questioned by MPs appear to have been struck with the same amnesia as Boris Johnson and his cohorts.
It beggars belief that Post Office investigator Stephen Bradshaw repeatedly said he had no concerns about the conduct of the investigators and wasn’t told about any Horizon problems. Anyone doing a proper job should have been asking questions about the sheer number of sub-postmasters seemingly all committing fraud at the same time. Ann Bolton, Lowestoft, Suffolk
■ The individuals responsible certainly need to be brought to account for the wrongful conviction of the sub-postmasters in the Post Office scandal.
On another matter, what also needs to stop is the Government’s over-enthusiasm for technology, which we saw when they wanted to close railway ticket offices. Happily they pulled back from that wicked plan thanks to the Mirror and the RMT’s campaign.
Will Forrow, Dawlish, Devon
■ I don’t think Fujitsu has a moral right to pay into the Post Office redress scheme. They should pay all of it as they sold the Post Office a faulty product, while Post Office bosses linked to the scandal should face justice in court.
Tommy Hazlehurst, Prenton Merseyside
■ The Post Office scandal was known about for years and that it took a TV programme for action to be taken is simply disgusting.
I hope those responsible will be brought to account.
Gerry Scales, Bromley,
SE London