The highly anticipated three-day questioning of Paula Vennells, former chief executive of the government-owned Post Office, is set to begin on Wednesday in London. This momentous event comes five years after the Post Office issued an apology for the Horizon IT scandal, and victims of the injustice are eagerly awaiting answers and redress.
Ms. Vennells’ role in the scandal is of utmost importance, as she was at the helm of the Post Office during the critical years of 2012 to 2019, when the faulty Horizon accounting software was in use. This software caused hundreds of false accounting and theft prosecutions against sub-postmasters, leading to significant financial losses, emotional distress, and even loss of life for many victims.
While this will be the first opportunity for inquiry barristers to publicly question Ms. Vennells, her involvement in the scandal has been a continuous presence through the testimony of dozens of witnesses and the evidence presented. Her name may now be familiar to the millions who watched the ITV drama “Mr Bates v the Post Office,” which shed light on the injustice and revived public interest in the matter.
Following the airing of the show, Ms. Vennells, who is also an ordained vicar, relinquished her Commander of the British Empire (CBE) title and reiterated her apology for the harm caused to sub-postmasters. As she stated in a government select committee in 2015, the responsibility ultimately falls on her as the former CEO of the Post Office.
One of the key questions that will be asked is whether Ms. Vennells turned a blind eye or participated in a cover-up. News reports have detailed her knowledge of the scandal for years, well before the Post Office issued its apology and halted prosecutions. The extent of her knowledge and involvement will provide insight into why the scandal was allowed to continue for so long, from when sub-postmaster Alan Bates first raised concerns in 2003 to the eventual apology in 2019.
Another crucial issue is when Ms. Vennells first became aware that Post Office branch accounts could be remotely accessed and altered. This information is critical in understanding her actions and decision-making as CEO. It has been reported that she may have been informed of this as early as May 2013, yet prosecutions continued for several years after.
Sub-postmaster Lee Castleton, who was featured in the ITV drama, will be particularly interested in Ms. Vennells’ response to the allegation that she authorized £300,000 in legal costs to prosecute him for a supposed £25,000 shortfall when she was a network director at the Post Office.
The public and victims alike will also want to hear Ms. Vennells’ account of why she continued to have faith in the Horizon software, Fujitsu, and the Post Office, despite numerous warnings from sub-postmasters, MPs, legal advisors, and forensic accountants hired to investigate.
One of the most pressing questions is why Ms. Vennells stated in 2020 that the Post Office was unaware of any defects in the Horizon technology, despite evidence to the contrary. This statement is in direct contradiction to the findings of forensic accountants and raises questions about her previous statements on the matter.
In addition to the questioning of Ms. Vennells, the public can follow the inquiry live on Wednesday through various platforms, including Sky News. However, the network will not be able to provide coverage as they are no longer involved in the inquiry.
Ms. Vennells has expressed her commitment to fully cooperate with the inquiry and has apologized for the harm caused to sub-postmasters and their families. However, there are still outstanding questions from an earlier inquiry that have not been answered, including the Post Office’s approach to investigations and their use of confidentiality agreements.
In a statement, Ms. Vennells expressed her continued support for the inquiry and her intention to refrain from making any further public comments until its conclusion. Victims of the Horizon scandal and the public, in general, will be eagerly awaiting Ms. Vennells’ testimony, hoping for answers and accountability for the years of injustice suffered by sub-postmasters.
