July 14, Colombo (LNW): Three government officials have been taken into custody by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) in connection with a suspected illegal registration of a motor vehicle, raising fresh concerns over malpractice within public administrative systems.
The investigation centres around a vehicle registered under the number GS-9164, which was reportedly entered into the Department of Motor Traffic’s database without proper customs clearance—a legal requirement for any imported vehicle to be officially registered in Sri Lanka.
Amongst those arrested is Suriya Priyangani Sirimanne, a former Assistant Commissioner at the Department of Motor Traffic, who is currently serving in a senior capacity at the Ministry of Lands. She is accused of authorising the questionable transfer of the vehicle’s ownership, bypassing necessary regulatory protocols.
Also arrested was Sanjeewa Kumara, a Development Assistant attached to the Motor Traffic Department’s Narahenpita branch, who allegedly played a direct role in executing the unauthorised ownership transfer. The third suspect, Indika Lakshman Herath, serving as a Supervisory Officer within the same department’s Investigation Division, is said to have issued a formal recommendation supporting the fraudulent transfer.
CIABOC officials believe the unauthorised registration may be part of a broader network of collusion between public officials and external parties aiming to circumvent import and registration laws for financial gain. Investigators are currently scrutinising whether similar cases have occurred, indicating a possible pattern of corruption within vehicle registration processes.
The three suspects are expected to be presented before the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court, where the Commission is likely to request continued detention to facilitate further inquiry.
