In brief
Sri Lankan investigators started a data extraction from the Department of Motor Traffic (DMT) on October 30, 2026, under the auspices of the Walana Anti‑Corruption Unit and a coalition of technical specialists. The probe follows earlier remand of four DMT officials and parliamentary warnings of corruption. No findings or suspects have yet been announced, leaving the scope and outcome of the investigation unclear.
Sri Lankan investigators began pulling data from the Department of Motor Traffic (DMT) on Thursday, October 30, 2026, as part of a probe into alleged fraud and corruption, Xinhua reported at 16:46 UTC. The operation, carried out by officers from the Walana Anti‑Corruption Unit, is being supported by technical specialists from the University of Colombo School of Computing, the Sri Lanka Computer Emergency Readiness Team (CERT), GovTech Sri Lanka and Sri Lanka Telecom.
The investigators are examining the department’s digital records to identify possible irregularities and suspected fraudulent activities that are said to have occurred over an extended period. They are specifically looking at systems that handle vehicle registration and licence issuance, where previous abuse has been alleged.
Earlier this year, in March, four current and former DMT officials were remanded on charges that included fraudulent vehicle registrations and the manipulation of computerized records. This was the first time that such senior officials were held in custody over corruption allegations at the agency.
In June, Transport Minister Bimal Rathnayake took the matter to Parliament, saying that the findings of the Committee on Public Accounts and the Auditor General’s Department would be referred to the Attorney General’s Department and the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption. The minister underscored that “corruption within the department is an urgent matter that requires swift action.”
While the technical teams are working to extract and analyse data, authorities have not published any preliminary findings, nor have they identified any suspects linked to the current probe. The lack of public disclosure has been noted by local media, which have highlighted that the investigation is still in its early stages.
According to Xinhua, the data interrogation is intended to uncover irregularities that may have persisted over several years. The combination of legal, forensic and technical expertise aims to create a comprehensive audit of the department’s computerised operations. However, the process is still ongoing, and it is unclear how long the data retrieval will take or what form the final report will assume.
The probe has triggered speculation that corruption may extend beyond vehicle registration to other aspects of the DMT’s responsibilities, such as driver licensing and enforcement of traffic regulations. No concrete evidence has been presented to confirm such wider allegations, and the government has not released any statements on the scope of the investigation beyond what has been covered by the press release.
As the data extraction continues, uncertainties remain regarding the specific nature and extent of the alleged corruption at the Motor Traffic Department. The investigation’s outcomes, any potential prosecutions, and the long‑term impact on the department’s governance structures have yet to be disclosed, keeping the public and media in suspense over the next weeks.
