A public hearing was held by a British government investigation agency investigating the circumstances surrounding a case in which postmaster generals were unfairly prosecuted due to flaws in the British Post Office's accounting system.
In this discussion, executives from Fujitsu, which delivered the system, acknowledged that although the defect had been identified early on, the problem had persisted for nearly 20 years.
In the UK, between 1999 and 2015, more than 700 postmasters and others were prosecuted for crimes such as embezzlement due to discrepancies between cash at post office counters and balances in accounting systems provided by Fujitsu. Ta.
Subsequently, the court found flaws in the system in a class action lawsuit filed by postmasters, and the British government established an independent investigation agency to investigate the circumstances.
At a public hearing held on the 19th, Mr. Patterson, Fujitsu's executive officer and head of Europe, said, ``Everyone involved knew from an early stage that there were bugs and flaws in the system.'' I testified.
He also acknowledged that although the flaw was discovered in November 1999, after the system was introduced, the problem continued for nearly 20 years until 2018.
Furthermore, he reiterated his intention to proceed with compensation for the victims, stating that ``we have let down the people and the postal service.''
The investigation is expected to continue, and the focus is on the extent to which many people were prosecuted even though the flaws were known.