The Metropolitan Police has confirmed that it is initiating a nationwide investigation into the Post Office scandal, with potential charges not expected for at least two years. The investigation began in January 2020 following a High Court case in 2019 that uncovered accounting discrepancies caused by bugs in the Horizon system used in Post Office branches.
While two Fujitsu employees have been questioned under caution regarding possible perjury charges based on High Court evidence, no charges have been filed yet. The Met is actively participating in the public inquiry into the scandal and is collaborating with the Crown Prosecution Service to determine if individuals will face charges.
Due to the extensive nature of the investigation, the Met is expanding it nationwide and has enlisted the help of other police forces. Detective work involving millions of documents is ongoing, and full independence, precision, and integrity are being prioritized.
Despite the inquiry’s expected final report in 2025, potential charges may not come until 2026 or even as late as 2028. Legal experts suggest that Post Office and Fujitsu executives could face charges related to perverting the course of justice, perjury, and fraud, as evidence of Horizon bugs potentially undermining subpostmaster prosecutions emerges.
The recent legislation passed in Parliament aims to overturn the convictions of wrongly prosecuted subpostmasters. The Post Office Horizon scandal, first exposed by Computer Weekly in 2009, has continued to unfold, shedding light on the challenges faced by subpostmasters due to faulty accounting software.
Nationwide Met Police investigation launched into Post Office scandal
