How did faulty accounting software lead to wrongful convictions?

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Faulty Accounting Software Led to Wrongful Convictions by Creating Apparent Deficits

The installation of flawed accounting software, known as the Horizon IT system, by the Post Office in the late 1990s created apparent deficits in branch accounts. Post Office executives insisted on the software's accuracy and compelled branch managers, or sub-postmasters, to personally repay these discrepancies. This led to over 700 individuals being wrongly convicted of theft and false accounting between 1999 and 2005 due to the fabricated shortfalls.
The Horizon IT System's Programming Flaws

Developed by Fujitsu, the Horizon IT system contained significant programming defects. These "bugs, errors and defects," as concluded by a High Court judge in December 2019, caused the software to generate incorrect balances. Consequently, branch accounts appeared to be short of funds, even when no actual money was missing.
Post Office Executives' Refusal to Acknowledge Issues

Despite the recurring appearance of deficits, Post Office executives persistently refused to acknowledge that the Horizon system itself was the source of the problem. Instead, they maintained that the sub-postmasters were responsible for the apparent financial shortfalls. This stance ignored the systemic nature of the issues presented by the software.
Forced Repayments and Criminal Prosecutions

Sub-postmasters were pressured to repay the amounts indicated as missing by the Horizon system. Failure to do so resulted in further repercussions, including civil actions to recover the funds. The inability to reconcile these fabricated deficits ultimately led to criminal convictions for theft and false accounting for over 700 individuals who were operating local post offices.

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How did faulty accounting software lead to wrongful convictions?

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