By: Staff Writer
April 02, Colombo (LNW): Sri Lanka’s Motor Traffic Department (DMT) is once again at the center of a significant corruption scandal, highlighting deep-rooted fraudulent activities within the organization. A recent investigation revealed that corrupt officials exploited regulatory gaps to unlawfully import luxury vehicles under false pretenses. This scandal exposes systematic corruption within the DMT, raising serious concerns about governance, accountability, and the integrity of motor vehicle registration procedures.
The fraud involves the illicit importation of luxury cars, including BMW and Mercedes-Benz models, misclassified as tractors in order to bypass regulations and avoid taxes. This was uncovered during a session of the Committee on Public Accounts (COPA), which revealed that DMT officials had been involved in falsifying documents to facilitate these illegal imports. In one instance, 158 vehicles were illegally classified as imports for religious places of worship, violating licensing and registration rules. These abuses show a clear disregard for legal procedures within the department.
During the March 22 COPA meeting, Chairman Aravinda Senarath questioned the Commissioner General of Motor Traffic, Nishantha Anuruddha Weerasingha, about the issue. Weerasingha acknowledged that an internal investigation had led to the suspension of an officer, but the officer was reinstated after a lack of evidence, raising doubts about the effectiveness of accountability mechanisms within the DMT.
COPA members expressed strong dissatisfaction with the department’s preparedness for the meeting and sent officials back with instructions to come better prepared for the next session. The Department of Auditor General, together with the Centre for Public Affairs, uncovered that DMT officials had avoided tax payments and violated laws by misreporting luxury vehicles as tractors. Despite being summoned for questioning, DMT officials failed to fully cooperate with the investigation.
COPA also directed the department to submit a report on the registration of vehicles involved in the fraudulent scheme. However, authorities claimed that no relevant files existed, sparking suspicion that evidence was intentionally destroyed or concealed to protect the culprits.
Commissioner General Weerasingha defended his department by stating that the fraud occurred before his tenure. However, his predecessor had already filed a complaint with the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) before leaving office, but no significant follow-up action has been taken under the current administration, fueling further concerns of a cover-up.
As investigations continue, the public remains eager for transparency and accountability. The ongoing corruption scandal at the DMT has severely undermined public trust. Urgent reforms and stricter oversight are needed to restore integrity and ensure that Sri Lanka’s motor vehicle registration system operates without exploitation.
