An investigation conducted by the Auditor General’s Department and the Committee on Public Accounts (COPA) has uncovered a large-scale fraud involving the illegal importation of 158 BMW and Benz vehicles into the country. These luxury vehicles were falsely declared as tractors using forged documents to bypass regulations and taxes.
In light of this revelation, officials from the Department of Motor Traffic were summoned before the COPA Committee for further inquiry. However, during the proceedings, no official from the department appeared to cooperate with the ongoing investigation.
The COPA Committee had directed the Department of Motor Traffic to provide a detailed report on the registration of these fraudulently imported vehicles. Despite this order, the department’s officials have failed to submit the requested information. Instead, their response to the committee has been that the relevant files are missing.
Notably, this is not the first time such a response has been given in cases of fraud investigations within the department. The standard justification of “files are missing” has raised further concerns about possible internal collusion or cover-ups.
The current Commissioner General of Motor Traffic, Nishantha Weerasinghe, stated that this fraudulent operation may have taken place before his tenure began. However, his predecessor had initiated legal action regarding the scam before being removed from office. Prior to his dismissal, the former Commissioner General had even lodged a formal complaint with the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) concerning the fraud.
Despite the serious nature of the allegations and the prior complaint, the current Commissioner General has not taken any action to follow up on the matter. This inaction has further intensified suspicions surrounding the scandal and the role of officials within the Department of Motor Traffic.
As the investigation unfolds, the public awaits answers regarding who was responsible for this fraudulent importation scheme and what measures will be taken to hold the perpetrators accountable.
