Post Office boss ‘made family sign NDA for £140k after subpostmaster took own life’

A FORMER Post Office boss tried to silence the family of a sub-postmaster who took his own life by offering them a £140,000 settlement.

Angela van den Bogerd made the offer to the widow of Martin Griffiths, the sub-postmaster who stepped in front of a bus and died in 2013 after years of being pursued for shortfalls in his branch accounts.

The public inquiry into the Horizon scandal yesterday heard how the former top Post Office executive offered his grieving widow, Gina Griffiths, a £140,000 settlement on the condition she and her family sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) and drop their claims against the organisation.

The agreement also stated that the payments would be made incrementally “as an incentive to Mrs Griffiths maintaining confidentiality”, the inquiry was told.

Mr Griffiths’ daughter Lauren subsequently wrote to Ms van den Bogerd describing the offer as “simply disgusting” and saying she holds the Post Office

‘You ensured there was an NDA … and used the money as a tool to keep the matter hushed up’

“solely and wholly responsible” for her father’s death.

The revelation emerged while Ms van den Bogerd, who held various senior roles over her 35-year career at the organisation, was giving evidence for a second day at the inquiry.

Jason Beer KC, the lead counsel for the inquiry, accused her of using the money as a way of keeping the Griffiths family “hushed up”.

“You ensured that there was an NDA attached to that settlement, you agreed to the staging of payments to act as an incentive and used money as a tool to keep the matter hushed up,” Mr Beer said.

“This is about the Post Office staging payments to act as an incentive to hold a ‘Sword of Damocles’ hanging above her (Gina’s) head- you do not get any money unless you keep quiet.”

Ms van den Bogerd said facilitating the payment to Mrs Griffiths had been her “primary concern” at the time and “it was never to keep it hushed up”.

Questioned on why she had attached an NDA to the settlement agreement with Mrs Griffiths, she told the inquiry that was the “standard approach”.

The inquiry continues.