Last month, the Metropolitan Police Service announced that they had identified four suspects in the investigation, with the expectation that the number will increase. The National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) stated that any charging decisions and criminal trials related to the Post Office Horizon scandal will not occur until 2027 due to the unprecedented scale, complexity, and scope of the investigation.
The probe, known as Operation Olympos, began in 2020 and has been running concurrently with the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry since February 2022. The NPCC emphasized that the criminal investigation will continue until the final inquiry report is received and thoroughly reviewed before any charging decisions are made.
The investigation involves a 100-strong team from various UK police forces, focusing on offenses such as perjury and perverting the course of justice. Investigators are examining individuals from the Post Office, Fujitsu, and the legal profession.
Since 2021, three individuals have been interviewed under caution, with more expected to be questioned in the coming year. The police believe there could be over 3,000 victims impacted by the Post Office Horizon IT scandal, where subpostmasters were wrongfully prosecuted and convicted due to faulty accounting software.
Commander Stephen Clayman, leading Operation Olympos, emphasized the goal of securing justice for those affected by the scandal. The investigation involves sifting through a vast amount of documents to gather evidence and information.
The Post Office has cooperated with the police by providing requested information and documents. The inquiry is nearing its end, with closing statements scheduled for December. The investigation will continue gathering and analyzing evidence before drafting the final report.
The scandal, described as one of the largest miscarriages of justice in British legal history, led to wrongful convictions of over 900 subpostmasters between 1999 and 2015. A law was passed to exonerate and compensate the wrongly accused individuals, with approximately £438 million paid to over 3,100 claimants as of October 31.
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