California, Dec 28: Interactive TV software maker Liberate Technologies said on Friday it has fired its chief operating officer after a company investigation into accounting practices. Liberate had previously placed COO Donald Fitzpatrick on leave, the company said in a statement. Fitzpatrick had overseen the company's sales and professional services operations. Neither Fitzpatrick nor company officials could be immediately reached for comment.

Liberate, in its statement, also said it was continuing to investigate various transactions and that it would delay filing its Form 10-K/A for its 2002 fiscal year ended May 31 and Form 10-Q for the first quarter of fiscal 2003 until the probe is completed.
The San Carlos, California-based company said its chairman and chief executive, Mitchell Kertzman, would remain in those roles until the forms were filed. He had previously planned to move to executive chairman by the end of this calendar year.
Liberate said in November that it had discovered facts that "call into question" the timing and propriety of $10 million in revenue it recognised in fiscal 2002 and the first fiscal quarter of 2003. At that time, the company also withdrew its financial guidance. Bureau Report