The Die is Cast: On Human Nature and the Pursuit of Justice

Soms is de meest beklemmende vraag niet waarom het gebeurde – maar waarom niemand het tegenhield.

Sometimes the most haunting question isn’t why it happened — but why no one stopped it.

The die is cast idiom
Cambridg Dictionary

Said when a situation is certain to develop in a particular way because decisions have been taken that cannot be changed. 
From the moment the negotiations failed, the die was cast and war was inevitable.
De teerling is geworpen: Over de menselijke natuur. Het lot is bezegeld: Over de menselijke aard. Het moment v. waarheid.

Who lets injustice happen — and why?
Where Solomon’s Judgment Was Absent – When Wisdom Fell Silent and Appearance Prevailed
2 The Absurdity of Misused Justice — A System Turned Against Truth
3 A Life Changed Without Cause or Warning
4 Shameful and Appailling
5 Paula Vennells Breaks Down When Faced with Evidence of Her Disparaging Remarks

Former Post Office CEO Paula Vennells broke down as she was presented with evidence that she had made disparaging remarks about subpostmasters, who’s lives were ruined when they were prosecuted over IT failures at the business.

The inquiry was shown minutes from a meeting between Vennells, Post Office personnel, and MPs, held on June 18, 2012.

Ms Vennells told MPs: “It appears that some subpostmasters have been borrowing money from the Post Office account/till in the same way they might do in a retail business”.

She said there “had not been a case investigated where the Horizon system had been found to be at fault”.

But Mr Beer points out that was not true.

He highlighted three specific cases which subpostmistresses accused of stealing Post Office funds had, by the time of that meeting, been acquitted by juries after blaming Horizon for the issue.

Mr Beer asked: “Why were you telling these parliamentarians every prosecution had found in favour of the Post Office?”

Breaking down in tears, Ms Vennells responded: “I fully accept now that the Post Office knew that.

“Personally, I didn’t know that, and I am incredibly sorry that happen to those people and to so many others.”

Post Office Inquiry: moment Paula Vennells cries as documents reveal her comments about postmasters

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Paula Vennells stort in wanneer ze geconfronteerd wordt met bewijs van haar vernederende opmerkingen

6 Top Lawyer Edward Henry K.C. in His Closing Statement

Post Office Inquiry: victims’ lawyer lambastes ‘Dickensian’ conduct of firm during closing statement

Paula Vennells’ testimony at the Post Office inquiry. Humbug Sam Stein tells her.

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15 jan 2025 The papers say

Paula Vennells’ testimony at the Post Office inquiry. Humbug Sam Stein tells her.

Ms Vennells thought that Lee Castleton was an illustrious scalp for the Post Office to get and that the Post Office used £300,000 of public money to grind Lee Castleton into the dirt. Sam Stein accuses her of preaching compassion yet does not practice it. She was stuttering about how to answer these questions of which the answers would have been and probably were, blidingly obvious, it’s just that she conveniently “forgot”. Again!

Humbug noun (DISHONESTY)

Cambridge Dictionary

Dishonest talk, writing, or behaviour that is intended to deceive people.
The usual political humbug
I know humbug when I see it.
Her arguments are impeccable and she has absolutely no tolerance for humbug.

Post Office inquiry and Sam Stein KC sums up telling us a story of the vile goings on at the PO.

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20 feb 2025 The papers say
 
Post Office inquiry and Sam Stein KC sums up telling us a story of the vile goings on at the Post Office and the downright rotten tricks the Post Office were pulling on the subpostmasters and subpostmistresses to make them believe that they were the only one and then using the Horizon system as a weapon of fear against them. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Stumped by Jason Beer KC. Paula Vennels trying to avoid the blindingly obvious. PO inquiry

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11 feb 2025 The papers say

Jason Beer KC stumps her again. Paula Vennels trying to avoid the blindingly obvious at the Post Office inquiry

Jason Beer reads an email to Vennels and she is trying her hardest to read it a different way taking some seconds before she admits defeat. Even Sir Wyn Williams was unimpressed with her.

Take a look and let me know what you think in the comments below

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Sobbing Paula Vennells accused of talking ‘absolute rubbish’

Back to menu IMPORTANT CONTENT  Listening recommended  Must ***

‘This Is La-La Land Isn’t It?’ | Former Post Office Boss Paula Vennells Grilled At Horizon Inquiry

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24 mei 2024

Ex-Post Office boss Paula Vennells has faced intense scrutiny from lawyers at the Post Office inquiry

On her third day of evidence at the inquiry, Ms Vennellls was grilled by Edward Henry KC, who represents several of the Post Office scandal victims.
Henry criticised Vennells’ testimony to the inquiry

‘This is la-la land, isn’t it?’, he says

7 How Fujitsu Helped Cause the Post Office Scandal

Fujitsu should help pay the victims of the Post Office Horizon scandal

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Today, Post Office minister Gareth Thomas shares his surprise that Fujitsu haven’t done more since admitting their role in the Post Office Horizons scandal.

Just to remind you, here’s the clip. I was determined to make sure that Fujitsu was held to account for the role they played in the Post Office scandal. So I asked them to Parliament to explain how they were going to make amends.

From Faulty Code to Human Tragedy:
The Hidden Cost of Horizon

It’s Time for Fujitsu to Take Responsibility — and Pay Up

8 The Scandal’s Ongoing Damage to the Innocent

Post Office Scandal: what did top executive know?

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Britain’s Oldest Victim of the Post Office Scandal Is Still Fighting for Compensation

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“She Didn’t Take Any Responsibility For Her Actions!” Former Post Office Exec Refuses To Apologise

26 apr 2024 #scandal #postoffice #horizon

A former top Post Office executive has refused to apologise for her role in the Horizon IT scandal, insisting: “I didn’t knowingly do anything wrong”.

Angela van den Bogerd began her evidence to the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry by saying that she is “sorry for the devastation” wrought on subpostmasters and their families.

But when pressed by Inquiry counsel Jason Beer KC, Ms van den Bogerd insisted she had been unaware of critical flaws in the Post Office’s IT system.

“You make no concession or admission that you did anything wrong”, said Mr Beer.

Ms van den Bogerd replied: “I didn’t knowingly do anything wrong.”

TalkTV’s Dr David Bull and Sarah Hewson are joined by journalist Nick Wallis to discuss.

9 Obsession with Perfection
How Small Fixations Led to Large Injustices

Mrs Bucket is such a Perfectionist! | Keeping Up Appearances | BBC Comedy Greats

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Niet elk onrecht breekt binnen met geweld — soms sluipt het naar binnen, terwijl de stilte de deur openhoudt.

Not all injustice storms in with violence — some slips in quietly, when silence holds the door open.