The Horizon Scandal: Wrongful Prosecutions and Bureaucratic Delays

The UK Postal Service used Fujitsu's Horizon software for accounting, leading to wrongful prosecutions of subpostmasters and post-mistresses for theft and false accounting. Fujitsu initially testified that only subpostmasters could access or alter the records, leading to some individuals going to prison or being financially ruined. It was later revealed that an unknown bug allowed remote access to the system, of which Fujitsu was aware by 2010. Despite overturning 93 convictions, bureaucratic delays have hindered compensation settlements for thousands affected. Fujitsu's global chief executive and the UK Prime Minister have both expressed apologies and commitments to address the impact, but concerns remain about the fulfillment of moral obligations and timely legislative action.