February 12, Colombo (LNW): The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) has recently filed legal proceedings in the High Court against seven individuals, including five employees from the Department of Motor Traffic (DMT). The charges allege their involvement in the illegal registration of hundreds of vehicles, including luxury cars, which had not undergone Customs clearance.
Earlier reports indicated that approximately 400 vehicles had been illicitly imported and registered with the DMT over the past few years before Customs clearance. CIABOC’s investigations into the matter have uncovered details for 156 vehicles out of the total, leading to the initiation of legal prosecution.
The Commission highlights a significant loss of tax revenue for the Sri Lankan government as a result of this fraudulent scheme.
Among the 156 identified vehicles, six are now under the custody of CIABOC, and five have been transferred to the Sri Lanka Customs for further investigations, following the Colombo Chief Magistrate Court’s order. Simultaneously, the Commissioner General of DMT revealed that three out of the five implicated employees, including an Investigation Officer, an IT officer, and a Clerk, have been immediately interdicted at the request of the Bribery Commission. This measure will remain in effect until the investigations are concluded.
In response to the scandal, the DMT is also conducting an internal investigation into the incident, as confirmed by the Commissioner General.
