Fujitsu has posted profits of £22million in its UK arm and paid out millions in salary and bonuses to director, despite controversy due to their ties to the Post Office scandal.
The Japanese firm designed the Horizon accounting software which incorrectly showed that 3,500 owner-operators in charge of sub-post offices had stolen money from the company.
The malfunctioning software led to around 700 people being wrongly convicted. The story has been brought to people's attention after the ITV drama Mr Bates vs The Post Office.
Fujitsu has not faced any financial consequences and has continued to win government contracts.
Fujitsu has not faced any financial consequences from the scandal
Getty
Fujitsu’s UK arm recorded strong profits as a result of ongoing work for government departments such as the Home Office and Ministry of Defence.
The Post Office, which has itself set aside £244m to compensate victims of the scandal, continues to use a newer version of the Horizon system.
UK-based Fujitsu Services Ltd, which houses the Japanese firm’s UK and Irish businesses, posted pre-tax profits of £22m in 2022, on revenues of £1.3bn, the accounts show.
Its three directors shared pay of £2.3m, of which £1.3m was paid to one unnamed executive.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
The Post Office has itself set aside £244m to compensate victims of the scandal
Getty
Details of Fujitsu’s performance in the UK emerged a day after peers called for greater scrutiny of its role in the Horizon affair.
This includes the possibility that the Japanese company should pay compensation to the victims of the scandal.
Separate accounts for Fujitsu’s European holding company, which also includes operations in Scandinavia and the Middle East, indicate that its directors were also paid bonuses.
Two directors of Fujitsu Services Holdings plc received share-based payouts as part of a “long-term incentive scheme”, a form of bonus that rewards executives for performance, typically over several years.
Fujitsu declined to answer questions from GB News about its accounts.
A spokesperson told The Guardian: "The current Post Office Horizon IT statutory inquiry is examining complex events stretching back over 20 years to understand who knew what, when, and what they did with that knowledge.
"The inquiry has reinforced the devastating impact on postmasters’ lives and that of their families, and Fujitsu has apologised for its role in their suffering.
"Fujitsu is fully committed to supporting the inquiry in order to understand what happened and to learn from it. Out of respect for the inquiry process, it would be inappropriate for Fujitsu to comment further at this time."
