Viral Video of Justice Minister Driving and Livestreaming Debunked as Old Footage, Fact-Checkers Confirm

A video that spread rapidly across Sri Lankan social media platforms, purportedly showing Justice and National Integration Minister Harshana Nanayakkara livestreaming from behind the wheel of a moving vehicle, has been confirmed by fact-checkers to be old footage — not a recent incident as widely claimed.

What the Video Showed

The clip, which gained significant traction online, appeared to depict the minister operating a vehicle while simultaneously conducting a live broadcast on social media. Many users who shared the footage did so with the implication that the incident had occurred recently, drawing criticism over road safety and the conduct expected of a senior cabinet official.

Fact-Check Findings

Upon investigation, fact-checking efforts established that the video in question was not recorded recently and that the claims attaching a current timeframe to the footage were misleading. The clip had been recirculated without proper context, leading a large number of social media users to draw incorrect conclusions about when and under what circumstances it was filmed.

A Pattern of Misinformation

This incident follows a broader pattern seen across Sri Lanka's social media landscape, where older videos and images are frequently repackaged and shared as current news, often targeting public figures during politically sensitive periods. Such content can rapidly influence public opinion before accurate information is able to catch up.

• The video was shared widely across multiple social media platforms
• Users assumed the footage was recent without verifying its origin
• Fact-checkers confirmed the clip does not reflect a current incident
• No verified date of the original recording has been widely established

Public Reminded to Verify Before Sharing

Misinformation involving public officials can cause serious reputational harm and mislead citizens on matters of public accountability. Verifying the source and date of viral content before sharing remains critically important.

Media literacy advocates and fact-checking organisations in Sri Lanka have repeatedly urged the public to exercise caution when engaging with viral political content, particularly videos that arrive without clear timestamps, original source attribution, or corroborating reports from established news outlets.

Minister Nanayakkara has not yet issued a formal public statement in response to the circulation of the video.