Paula Vennells, the former CEO of the crisis-hit Post Office, is set to testify under oath in a highly anticipated hearing. The inquiry focuses on the scandal that devastated the lives of hundreds of subpostmasters. Here are the key details:
Arrival at the Inquiry: Paula Vennells arrived at the Horizon IT Inquiry surrounded by photographers before 8 a.m. Her testimony will span three days.
Faulty IT System: The scandal centers around a faulty IT system that led to subpostmasters being wrongly accused of fraud and theft. Over 900 people were wrongly prosecuted between 1999 and 2015, including 700 by the Post Office itself.
Public Outcry: The ITV drama “Mr. Bates vs The Post Office” triggered public fury. More than a million people signed a petition demanding that Ms. Vennells be stripped of her CBE (awarded in 2019 for services to the Post Office).
Apology and Focus on Inquiry: In January, Ms. Vennells apologized for the devastation caused to sub-postmasters and their families. She pledged to assist the inquiry and refrain from further public comments until its conclusion.
‘Smoking Gun’ Email: Recent evidence includes an email from 2013 where Ms. Vennells described potential wrongful convictions as “very disturbing.” The email highlights areas for investigation and mediation.
No Evidence of Miscarriages of Justice: In 2015, Ms. Vennells told MPs that she saw no evidence of miscarriages of justice and found no faults in the Horizon system.
As Paula Vennells faces questioning, the inquiry seeks to uncover the truth behind the Post Office scandal and its impact on subpostmasters’ lives .
