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Postmistress turned councillor slams ‘morally bankrupt’ Post Office bosses
A Labour councillor who ran a post office in Hartcliffe for 12 years before retraining as a lawyer has slammed the “morally bankrupt senior management” at her former employer.
Farah Hussain, councillor for Central ward, said that she welcomes news that hundreds of her former colleagues could have their convictions overturned.
But Hussain said that financial redress now has to happen immediately and politicians and the public need to “keep up the pressure”.
is needed now More than ever
In a statement, Hussain said: “I welcome the government’s announcement that those who were wrongly prosecuted will be exonerated and compensated.
“This is a first step towards justice, but this alone is not enough.
“The scandal has been known about for years – it is a crying shame that it is seemingly only an ITV documentary (sic) and an upcoming election made it take this course of action.
“I ran a Post Office in Hartcliffe for 12 years, up until 2017. I have been working closely with victims of this scandal, one of whom only had their wrongful criminal conviction overturned in September this year and is now pursuing a case of malicious prosecution.
“The Post Office were so determined to protect its reputation that it was willing to ruin the lives of over 700 sub-postmasters.
“Among the 700, we cannot forget that four sub-postmasters took their own life as a result of the stress and humiliation brought on by the Post Office’s actions.
“I’m glad that Paula Vennells, the former CEO of the Post Office, has handed back her CBE, but questions remain about why she was given this award in 2019 in the first place.
“Formal investigations into the Horizon software were launched in 2012, the Post Office halted prosecutions in 2015, and sub-postmasters launched legal action against the Post Office in 2017.
“Government ministers were surely aware of the allegations but apparently did not find them serious enough to intervene.
“Justice delayed is justice denied. This has gone on far too long.
“The Post Office board received over £450,000 in bonuses. Yet, the victims of the scandal are still waiting for financial redress. This needs to happen immediately.
“I urge politicians and the public to keep up the pressure on the Post Offices’ morally bankrupt senior management.”
Main photo: Labour Party
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