World · Sri Lanka Bureau
Audit uncovers customs overtime fraud involving 77 officers
The National Audit Office has identified a significant irregularity in overtime claims across Sri Lanka Customs, with nearly 77 officers having claimed allowances for over 18,000 hours despite their divisions being closed on the dates in question.
LSN Sri Lanka ·
An investigation by the National Audit Office has exposed widespread overtime fraud within Sri Lanka Customs, revealing that officers from five divisions submitted claims for a combined 18,225 hours of overtime work. The officers registered their overtime entries in the official Customs Form 221 register despite the fact that their respective divisions were not operational on the days for which they claimed compensation.
The fraudulent claims were processed through the standard overtime documentation system, allowing the officers to receive allowances for work that officials say did not occur. The irregularity spans multiple divisions within the customs authority and suggests a systemic breach of financial controls and oversight mechanisms.
The audit findings represent a significant breach of public accountability and raise questions about the effectiveness of internal monitoring systems at the customs authority. The discovery comes amid ongoing efforts to strengthen fiscal discipline and prevent misuse of government resources across state institutions.
The National Audit Office has referred its findings to relevant authorities for further investigation and potential disciplinary action against those implicated in the scheme. Officials have not yet announced concrete steps to recover the improperly claimed funds or implement corrective measures to prevent similar incidents.