Seema Misra, a former sub-postmistress in the United Kingdom, refused to accept an apology from David Smith, a former managing director of the Post Office.
This rejection comes amidst ongoing inquiries into the scandal that saw Misra wrongly imprisoned while she was pregnant. Following her conviction, Smith sent a congratulatory email to his colleagues in 2010.
The message read, "Brilliant news. Well done," a sentiment that Misra found deeply hurtful given her innocence. Despite Smith's admission that his email was "poorly thought through", Misra has publicly rejected his sentiment.
“How can I accept the apology? They need to apologise to my 10 year old, they took his mum away on his birthday,” Misra told the BBC.
"I was eight weeks pregnant - they need to apologise to my youngest son. It was terrible. I haven't accepted the apologies,” she added.
Misra's ordeal is emblematic of a wider scandal that saw hundreds of sub-postmasters and postmistresses wrongly prosecuted between 1999 and 2015 due to faults in the Post Office's computer system, Horizon. Many suffered severe financial and personal consequences, with some even losing their lives while awaiting justice.
It's YOU THE ONLY ONE #PostOffice REST OF US WERE INNOCENT. #PostOfficeScandal pic.twitter.com/tfCNxS1W3E
— Seema Misra (@SeemaMisra7) April 11, 2024
While legislative measures are underway to clear the names of those wrongfully convicted, compensation for victims remains inadequate. Only a fraction have received full settlements, underscoring the ongoing struggle for redress in the aftermath of the Post Office scandal.
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