The findings made by the Parliamentary Committee on Public Accounts (COPA) and the Auditor General's Department regarding corruption and fraud within the Department of Motor Traffic (DMT) are to be forwarded to the Attorney General's (AG) Department and the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC), said Transport Minister Bimal Rathnayake.

Speaking in Parliament yesterday (9), he said that the COPA and the Auditor General's Department had already looked into serious corruption and fraud within the Department and made observations. “We have brought a motion to Parliament to refer these matters to the AG and the CIABOC." He noted that the DMT has been significantly affected by corruption over a long period, adding that action has already been taken against several senior officials. “Two former Commissioners General and a number of Deputy Commissioners have already been arrested in connection with earlier investigations,” he said.

Although corruption has not been fully eliminated as of now, he added that there are signs of improvement based on the current information and data. “There are still incidents being reported, but, if we look at the available data, there has been some reduction compared to the past.”

He also said that honest officers working within the Department are facing difficulties due to the negative image attached to the Institution. “At the same time, officers who are working honestly are also affected by the black mark that has been created around this Department,” he said.