Former Post Office executive, Angela van den Bogerd, faced accusations of dishonesty during her testimony at the inquiry into the Horizon IT scandal. Van den Bogerd, who held various roles at the Post Office for over 35 years, adamantly refuted claims that she intentionally misled the inquiry.
Her responsibilities at the Post Office included managing complaints related to the Horizon IT system, supplied by Fujitsu. The Horizon system was at the center of a scandal that led to numerous sub-postmasters being wrongfully convicted between 1999 and 2015 due to software errors.
During the inquiry, Edward Henry KC, representing some wrongfully convicted individuals, confronted van den Bogerd about a 2015 letter sent to Parmod Kalia, a former sub-postmaster. In the letter, van den Bogerd stated there was no evidence of transactions being altered through remote access, despite having received prior emails highlighting the issue.
Henry accused van den Bogerd of lying throughout her testimony, to which she responded that her statements were based on her understanding at the time.
Further in the inquiry, the case of Martin Griffiths, a sub-postmaster accused of shortfalls and later blamed for a robbery, was also discussed. Griffiths faced accusations of significant shortfalls and was asked to pay a fine related to a robbery at his Post Office branch. However, tragically, Griffiths took his life soon after these events.
The questioning also delved into compensation offers, with inquiries about conditional payments to Griffiths’ family tied to legal actions against the Post Office and Second Sight, a company that identified system issues in Horizon.
Sam Stein KC, representing additional scandal victims, compared van den Bogerd to a “bad stick of rock,” referencing past allegations of dishonesty during a 2019 court case. Despite these allegations, van den Bogerd confirmed she received a bonus that year.
The inquiry continues with upcoming testimony from Hugh Flemington, the former head of legal at the Post Office, as it seeks to unravel the full extent of the Horizon IT scandal.
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