Fujitsu boss says company determined to ‘get to the truth wherever it lays’
Paul Patterson reiterated his apology to subpostmasters when he gave evidence to the Post Office Horizon IT inquiry on Friday.
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Fujitsu’s European boss has said the technology giant is determined to “get to the truth wherever it lays” as he answered questions at the Post Office Horizon IT inquiry.
Paul Patterson reiterated his apology to subpostmasters, describing the scandal as an “appalling miscarriage of justice”.
He was facing his second grilling of the week after appearing at the Business and Trade Committee on Tuesday, where he conceded there were “bugs and errors” in the Horizon system.
To the subpostmasters and their families, we apologise. Fujitsu apologises and is sorry for our part in this appalling miscarriage of justice
Mr Patterson told the inquiry bugs, errors and defects in the Horizon IT system were known about by “all parties” and have been known for “many, many years”.
Counsel to the inquiry Jason Beer KC asked him: “From Fujitsu’s perspective, is this right, as a company for the last couple of years, it has known of the existence of these bugs, errors and defects at a corporate level?”
Mr Patterson said: “Yes. In fact all the bugs and errors have been known on one level, or not, for many, many years.
“Right from the very start of the deployment of this system there were bugs and errors and defects which were well known to all parties.”
Reiterating his apology to subpostmasters as he gave evidence to the probe on Friday, Mr Patterson said: “To the subpostmasters and their families, we apologise.
“Fujitsu apologises and is sorry for our part in this appalling miscarriage of justice.
“This inquiry is examining those events forensically over many, many decades, which involve many parties, not least Fujitsu and the Post Office, but other organisations and individuals.
“We are determined to continue to support this inquiry and get to the truth wherever it lays and at the conclusion of the inquiry and the guidance from this inquiry, engage with Government on suitable contribution and redress to the subpostmasters and their families.”
Mr Patterson’s evidence as part of phase four of the public inquiry will look at the action taken against subpostmasters, including civil and criminal proceedings and failures in investigations.
The statutory inquiry, which began in 2021, was established to ensure there was a “public summary of the failings which occurred with the Horizon IT system at the Post Office” and which subsequently led to the wrongful convictions of subpostmasters.
The probe is chaired by retired judge Sir Wyn Williams, who has previously looked at the human impact of the scandal, the Horizon system rollout and the operation of the system.