In the recent Post Office Horizon IT inquiry, it was revealed that Fujitsu IT security analyst Andy Dunks provided witness statements in cases against Post Office sub-postmasters despite acknowledging his "limited" knowledge of the Horizon system. These statements led to the convictions of several sub-postmasters, including well-known individuals like Seema Misra, Jo Hamilton, and Lee Castleton. This inquiry has shed light on what is described as one of the most significant miscarriages of justice in British legal history.
Despite his admission of limited technical training and Horizon system knowledge, Mr. Dunks, who left school at 16 and later joined Fujitsu, expanded his role to providing witness statements in cases involving theft and false accounting. Notably, he mentioned that his colleague found the process of giving evidence "a bit daunting."
During the inquiry, it was revealed that Mr. Dunks compiled witness statements based on pre-drafted paragraphs, following instructions from the Post Office. He covered topics such as the operation of the Horizon IT helpdesk, despite admitting having little knowledge in this area. His statements, including those in Mrs. Misra's case, downplayed the significance of numerous calls made by sub-postmasters, indicating that the counters were not malfunctioning.
This inquiry has raised questions about the credibility of witness statements provided in these cases and the procedures followed in the prosecution of Post Office sub-postmasters. #PostOffice #HorizonInquiry #LegalJustice #Fujitsu #ITSecurityAnalyst
