As reported by the BBC 24 April 2024 despite a slew of emails referring to the possibility of remote access to the Horizon IT system used in Post Office branches, former Head of Network Services Ms van den Bogerd told the inquiry she didn't "actually remember" getting these. Earlier she told the inquiry that she "didn't knowingly do anything wrong". ~ whatever that means
The Post Office asserted in hundreds of wrongful prosecutions of sub-postmasters that they must have been to blame for shortfalls in accounts, which were calculated using the Horizon IT system.
So, this Van den Bogerd was told several times - along with other Post Office execs - that the Horizon software they relied on to prosecute sub Post Masters could be accessed remotely. ie fiddled with from outside the post office in question.
'The prosecutions, between 1999 and 2015, saw people go to prison, while many others were left financially ruined and lost their jobs, businesses and homes. Some died while waiting for justice.'
This is another classic case of The Reassurers. In this case relating to Post Office software Horizon made by Fujitsu. As typical with closed source software, claims are made, assurances given with no way of checking those claims and assurances independently. Then sometimes years later it turns out those reassuring were either outright lying or 'forgot'. The remedy is simple. Trust no 'reassurance' unless it can be independently verified, preferable by yourself.
'A December 5 2010 email forwarded to her from Lynn Hobbs, the organisation's general manager of network support, said she had "found out that Fujitsu can actually put an entry into a branch account remotely".
But Ms van den Bogerd told the inquiry she didn't "actually remember" getting this. Nor did she remember getting a slew of further emails
In 2014 Post Office communications professional Melanie Corfield sent an email to several Post Office executives, including Ms van den Bogerd.
"Our current line, if we're asked about remote access being used to change branch data or transactions, is simply 'this is not and has never been possible'
'Ms van den Bogerd held various roles throughout her 35-year career at the Post Office, rising to head of network services, head of partnerships, director of support services and director of people and change.'
Amazing! She managed all this with a barely functioning memory! I'm surprised she didn't do an Ernest Saunders. Perhaps she will if it comes to that.
'The Post Office asserted in hundreds of wrongful prosecutions of sub-postmasters that they must have been to blame for shortfalls in accounts, which were calculated using the Horizon IT system.'
In certain key cases, such as the landmark
Bates vs Post Office, the organisation insisted that the Horizon software could not be accessed remotely by any other party.
~ ie they knowingly lied.
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