The inquest into the Post Office scandal heard that Paula Vennells, the then-chief executive of the Post Office, made the idea to her colleagues after consulting her husband for advice on a “non-emotive” manner to refer to computer issues.
The corporation was worried about negative publicity resulting from the trial of sub-postmasters who were suspected of pilfering from branches.
Over 700 Post Office managers faced legal action between 1999 and 2015 as a result of Fujitsu’s defective accounting software, which gave the impression that money was missing. The business claimed at the time that its systems were reliable.
Susan Crichton, the former chief in-house lawyer for the Post Office, testified before the committee on Tuesday. She was questioned over a series of emails exchanged between high-ranking officials.
