Romanian hit-and-run inquest March

[Orochi]

Singapore
Home > Breaking News > Singapore > Story
Jan 27, 2010

ROMANIAN CAR CRASH
Hit-and-run inquest March

<!-- by line --> By Elena Chong

<!--background story, collapse if none--> ROMANIAN DIPLOMAT WAS THE DRIVER

Senior State Counsel Lau Wing Yum said said extensive police investigations showed that the car was not stolen and that Dr Ionescu was behind the wheel at the time of the two accidents.

Dr Ionescu flew back to Romania three days later. He has since been recalled by the Romanian government.

But Mr Lau said his whereabouts is not known. He added that the Singapore police are in contact with Interpol Bucharest.

Mr Tong's next of kin is being represented by KhattarWong while Hoh Law Corporation is holding a watching brief for Mr Bong, who has since returned to Kuching for rehabilitation due to severe head and bodily injuries.

The Romanian economic counsellor and acting charge d'affaires, Mr Alexandru Nicolae Coseru turned was present at the mention as well.

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The victim, Mr Tong Kok Wai and Madam Yenny Young in their wedding photo. -- PHOTO: SHINMIN

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AT LEAST 35 witnesses will be called at a coroner's inquiry into the death of a hotel assistant manager who was run over by a Romanian diplomat's car in December. The inquiry into the death of Malaysian Tong Kok Wai, 30, a Singapore permanent resident, will be held from March 3 to 10. Mr Tong died on Christmas Day - 10 days after a hit-and-run accident at Bukit Panjang - after he was taken off life support.

The newly-wed and Malaysian waiter Bong Hwee Haw, 24, were walking on the pedestrian crossing at the junction of Bukit Panjang Road and Bangkit Road at about 3.10am on Dec 15 when they were hit by an embassy car. The car sped off and hit an 18-year-old student at the next controlled junction. Principal Senior State Counsel Lau Wing Yum revealed this in court on Wednesday while giving a brief summary of what happened that fateful day.

He said the Romanian charge d'affaires, Dr Silviu Ionescu, 49, reported the loss of his car at 3.40am that day. The car, with its front windscreen smashed and bonnet dented, was found locked and abandoned at Sungei Kadut Avenue later that day.

 

[Orochi]

The car, which was found abandoned at Sungei Kadut Avenue. Dr Silviu Ionescu is second from right. -- PHOTO: SHIN MIN

Dr Silviu Ionescu

 

[Watchman]

 

[gone4good]

he was the culprit all along as suspected and he has the cheek to make those comments when interviewed after the accident creating an image that he was innocent and acted righteous. I guess our MFA and MHA could not do much in this instance due to his diplomat status but i thought it could be better handled if MFA had acted fast with the Romanian govt and not allowing him to leave the country within such a short time. He should act like a man and admit his mistake although the law cannot touch him but he should make up for it to the victims. It is the least any humane human being would do

 

[Shin Orochi]

Envoy faces charges

Singapore
Home > Breaking News > Singapore > Story
Feb 4, 2010

Envoy faces charges

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The Romanian prosecutor's office said Dr Ionescu will face charges following the hit-and-run accident in Singapore. --SHIN MIN FILE PHOTO

BUCHAREST: A Romanian diplomat is facing manslaughter charges following a deadly hit-and-run accident in Singapore, the Romanian prosecutor's office said yesterday. Dr Silviu Ionescu, charge d'affaires in Singapore, is alleged to have hit two pedestrians while he was driving the Romanian embassy car in the early morning of Dec 15. The diplomat drove on and only minutes later hit another person. One of the victims suffered brain damage and died on Dec 25 while the other two suffered injuries.

After the second accident, Dr Ionescu, 49, called the police to report his car was missing, 'an allegation which has been proven false', the prosecutor's office was quoted as saying in an Agence France-Presse report late last night. The date for his indictment was not yet known, according to the news agency. The Romanian foreign ministry, which recalled the diplomat a few days after the incident, had called for an investigation by Romanian prosecutors and pledged to 'cooperate with the Singaporean authorities in order to clarify this affair'.

The ministry has also transferred to investigators the information gathered during its own internal inquiry. Singapore police say they have evidence that Dr Ionescu was the driver of the car involved in the accident. In rare proceedings last week, Principal Senior State Counsel Lau Wing Yum told State Coroner Victor Yeo that Dr Ionescu beat two red lights and hit the three pedestrians while driving an Audi A6 sedan on Dec 15. Less than an hour later, he made a false police report that the car had been stolen. Three days later, he left Singapore.

Read the full story in Thursday's edition of The Straits Times.

 

[southwest]

Re: Envoy faces charges

Singapore police say they have evidence that Dr Ionescu was the driver of the car involved in the accident.

Now that he's gone, isn't it a little too late?

 

[General Veers]

Envoy faces jail if guilty

Singapore
Home > Breaking News > Singapore > Story
Feb 5, 2010

EMBASSY CAR CRASH
Envoy faces jail if guilty

Ionescu could spend 2 to 7 years behind bars for hit-and-run accident

<!-- by line --> By K. C. Vijayan, Law Correspondent
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Silviu Ionescu, 49, who is now back in Romania, has additionally been accused of making a false report and fleeing the scene of an accident, said a statement from the Romanian Prosecutor's Office. -- SHIN MIN FILE PHOTO

THE Romanian diplomat charged with homicide for a deadly hit-and-run accident here could be jailed between two and seven years if convicted in his home country. This is the penalty prescribed in the Romanian criminal code for causing death by negligence; up to another three months' jail could be tagged on for causing hurt, among other things. Silviu Ionescu, 49, who is now back in Romania, has additionally been accused of making a false report and fleeing the scene of an accident, said a statement from the Romanian Prosecutor's Office.

Read the full story in Friday's edition of The Straits Times.
[email protected]

 

[General Veers]

Singapore
Mar 31, 2010

Hit-and-run verdict today
Ionescu unperturbed ahead of verdict

<!-- by line --> By Teh Joo Lin
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Dr Ionescu is facing manslaughter charges in Romania with regard to the death of Mr Tong.

<!-- story content : start --> A DAY before the Coroner's Court was expected to give its verdict on the death of a hit-and-run incident victim, the former Romanian diplomat at the centre of the case remained unperturbed. Dr Silviu Ionescu told The Straits Times over the telephone yesterday that he was not dwelling on the verdict in the case of Mr Tong Kok Wai, who died in hospital more than a week after the Dec 15 incident. Dr Ionescu, who is back in Romania, said: 'I don't think anything of it. I know the result already, pretty much.'

Read the full story in Wednesday's edition of The Straits Times.
[email protected]

 

[General Veers]

The victim, Mr Tong Kok Wai and Madam Yenny Young in their wedding photo. -- PHOTO: SHINMIN

Mr Bong Hwee Haw. When he found out his buddy Tong Kok Wai was dead, he refused to believe it. Even though he had fractured his pelvis and could hardly walk, Mr Bong persisted in climbing out of his hospital bed to look for his friend. -- PHOTO: NP

 

[General Veers]

Coroner blames envoy

Singapore
Apr 1, 2010

HIT-AND-RUN DEATH
Coroner blames envoy

<!-- by line --> By Elena Chong & Teh Joo Lin
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Mr Bong Hwee Haw (above, centre) was hit by a Romanian Embassy car on the morning of Dec 15 last year. -- ST PHOTO: WONG KWAI CHOW

<!-- story content : start --> THE man at the wheel of a car involved in two hit-and-run accidents last year was former Romanian diplomat Silviu Ionescu, State Coroner Victor Yeo said yesterday. He blamed the envoy's recklessness for causing the death of assistant manager and newlywed Tong Kok Wai, 30. Driving the Romanian Embassy's Audi A6, Dr Ionescu, 49, hit three men in quick succession along Bukit Panjang Road on Dec 15, before fleeing the scene. He lied that his car had been stolen. Then he left Singapore for Romania, refusing to return for the inquest. Contacted by telephone yesterday, he rubbished the outcome of the inquest and dismissed the verdict as 'bull****'. 'Honestly, I don't believe in the court of Singapore,' he declared.

Read the full story in Thursday's edition of The Straits Times.
[email protected]
[email protected]

 

[Shin Orochi]

Singapore
Apr 2, 2010

Ionescu charges prepared

MFA summons Romanian Ambassador to meeting to discuss hit-and-run case

<!-- by line --> By Teh Joo Lin
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In the unlikely event that Bucharest does so, Dr Ionescu cannot be compelled to return as Singapore and Romania do not have an extradition treaty. -- PHOTO: SHIN MIN

<!-- story content : start --> SINGAPORE has taken the first steps towards criminal proceedings against former Romanian diplomat Silviu Ionescu, a day after the State Coroner found him responsible for two hit-and-run accidents in Bukit Panjang last December. The Attorney-General's Chambers has prepared a set of 13 charges it wants to bring against Dr Ionescu, a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) on Thursday night said. The charges include causing death by reckless driving, causing grievous hurt through a rash act, and failing to stop, help or lodge a police report after the accidents.

In its statement, MFA said it had summoned Mr Aurelian Neagu, the Romanian Ambassador to Singapore, who is based in Tokyo, to a meeting next week to discuss the charges. What comes next, however, is unclear, said lawyers contacted. They said that Dr Ionescu has to be in Singapore to answer the charges. He also enjoys diplomatic immunity, and Romania has given no indication that it will waive this. In the unlikely event that Bucharest does so, Dr Ionescu cannot be compelled to return as Singapore and Romania do not have an extradition treaty.

Read the full story in Friday's edition of The Straits Times.
[email protected]

 

[Watchman]

Singapore kangaroo court take 4 months to give him a head start .

But take a day to catch a street criminal .

Coroner SHOULD NOT take more than half day to process such data and evidence .

 

[Watchman]

 

[Yukimura Sanada]

Arrest warrant for Ionescu

Singapore
Apr 9, 2010

Arrest warrant for Ionescu

SINGAPORE Government has issued an arrest warrant against former Romanian charge d'affaires Silviu Ionescu over a hit-and-run accident that left a man dead last December. At the same time, Interpol has also issued a 'Red Notice' against Dr Ionescu, said a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday, following a meeting it had with Tokyo-based Romanian Ambassador to Singapore Aurelian Neagu, who was summoned here.

The 'Red Notice' means those manning entry and exit points in member countries will be on extra alert for the wanted man, with a view to his arrest and extradition. At Friday's meeting, Ambassador Neagu was officially informed of the findings of the Coroner's inquiry and the charges the Singapore Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC) had prepared against Dr Silviu Ionescu. The MFA summoned the ambassador to Singapore last week after the Coroner ruled that Dr Ionescu, 49, had caused the death of Mr Tong Kok Wai.

Mr Tong, 30, died after he was hit by the Romanian Embassy's Audi A6 along Bukit Panjang Road last Dec 15. Two others were injured in two hit-and-run accidents involving the same car that day. A day after the verdict, the authorities released a list of 13 charges the Attorney-General?s Chambers had prepared against Dr Ionescu. The charges include causing death by reckless driving, causing grievous hurt through a rash act, and failing to stop, help or lodge a police report after the accidents.

The charges lined up against Dr Ionescu attract stiff penalties; causing death through a rash act, for example, is punishable by up to five years in jail and a fine. The MFA told Mr Neagu on Friday that while Singapore understood that Romania had taken the position that it could not compel Dr Ionescu to return as there was no Extradition Treaty between the two countries, it would prefer Dr Ionescu to return here to face the charges. 'MFA stressed that the Romanian Government had a clear moral obligation to do all it could to persuade Dr Ionescu to come back to Singapore to stand trial.

This was in Romania's own interests as Dr Ionescu had seriously damaged Romania's international reputation.' On Romania's side, Mr Neagu informed MFA that its Prosecutor's Office had started criminal investigations against Dr Ionescu on Feb 2 on 'homicide by negligence, leaving the scene of an accident and false statements'. Ambassador Neagu stressed that Romania was committed to seeing justice done, and that it would conduct its own investigations against Dr Ionescu in accordance with its law. He assured MFA that Romania would continue to cooperate fully with Singapore on the matter.

 

[Yoshitsune Minamoto]

Romania 'wants justice'

Singapore
Apr 10, 2010

Romania 'wants justice'

MFA meets ambassador to inform him officially of findings and charges

<!-- by line --> By Teh Joo Lin
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Dr Ionescu (above) was found by the state coroner to have run over the three men that night after he had been drinking. He later abandoned his car and reported it stolen. -- PHOTO: SHIN MIN

<!-- story content : start --> ROMANIA has told Singapore it is committed to seeing justice done in the case of Dr Silviu Ionescu, the country's former charge d'affaires to the Republic who could face 13 charges here related to a hit-and-run accident. The assurance came on Friday in a meeting between Singapore officials and Romanian Ambassador Aurelian Neagu, where he was officially informed that a Coroner's Court had found Dr Ionescu liable for the accident, and of the charges against him. Mr Neagu said the Romanian Prosecutor's Office had begun criminal investigations into Dr Ionescu for manslaughter, leaving the scene of an accident and making false statements.

Two Romanian officials will arrive here, latest by next month, to conduct investigations. They will be assisted by the Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC). Yesterday, officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) also told Mr Neagu that though Singapore understood there was no extradition treaty between the two countries, Budapest had a 'clear moral obligation' to do all it could to persuade Dr Ionescu to return here to stand trial. It said this was in Romania's own interests as Dr Ionescu had seriously damaged the country's international reputation.

Read the full story in Saturday's edition of The Straits Times.
[email protected]

 

[Watchman]

Re: Romania 'wants justice'

Apr 11, 2010
ROMANIAN ENVOY'S FATAL HIT-&-RUN
Empathy in Romania
Media coverage gives facts of the case; ex-diplomat's version meets with scepticism
By Alison de Souza , For The Sunday Times

Dr Ionescu, 49, who left Singapore three days later, has been found by the state coroner to have run over the three men that night after he had been drinking. -- PHOTO: SHINMIN


BUCHAREST - ROMANIA is a quarter of the way round the world from Singapore, and the two countries' historical encounters have been few.

But the fatal hit-and-run accident in Bukit Panjang has changed that.

'The Romanian diplomat in Singapore? Yes, yes, I know about this, it was on the news,' said the taxi driver as he wove through one of the Romanian capital's legendary traffic jams. 'He was driving the car, and maybe drinking, and then he ran away, yes?'

During a visit to get a sense of what ordinary Romanians made of the story that has Singapore buzzing, all 15 people asked about the notorious traffic accident were aware of it.

The cabby, Mr Cristian Chiran, did not know Dr Silviu Ionescu by name. The former charge d'affaires does not have quite the same notoriety here.

But the 21 million citizens of this south-eastern European nation are voracious consumers of news. There are more than 70 daily newspapers, six public television stations and dozens of radio stations. Many have reported at least the story's basics.

 

[SwineHunter]

Singapore
Apr 14, 2010

Ionescu's link to escorts firm

<!-- by line --> <!-- end by line --> Note : His retarded pic has been removed due to too many of the same.

News reports in Romania have linked former Roman diplomat Silviu Ionescu to a local company there that allegedly recruits girls to become 'escorts in the most fashionable karaoke clubs in Singapore', reported The New Paper. -- ST PHOTO: CHAN BEE LENG

<!-- story content : start --> NEWS reports in Romania have linked former Romanian diplomat Silviu Ionescu to a local company there that allegedly recruits girls to become 'escorts in the most fashionable karaoke clubs in Singapore', The New Paper reported on Wednesday. Adevarul (The Truth), one of Romania's top daily newspapers, reported that the former charge de'affaires to Singapore had lent 28,000 euros (S$53,000) to the company, Elaboration Ltd, which is said to be run by his close friend, Mr George Karastergios, a Greek national.

The Romanian reports also link Dr Ionescu, 49, to a traffic accident in Thessaloniki, the second largest city in Greece, six years ago, after which he claimed the other driver tried to blackmail him, said TNP. A warrant of arrest and an Interpol alert have been issued against Dr Ionescu, after a State Coroner found him to be the driver of the car that killed Mr Tong Kok Wai, 30, and injured two others in hit-and-run accidents last Dec 15 at Bukit Panjang.

Read the full story in Wednesday's edition of The New Paper.

 

[Yukimura Sanada]

No immunity for Ionescu

Apr 15, 2010
No immunity for Ionescu

By Teh Joo Lin <!-- by line -->

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Dr Ionescu was using the Embassy vehicle in his private capacity and for his private purposes', said the Foreign Affairs Ministry in a statement on Thursday. 'As such, with effect from Dr Ionescu's recall, he no longer enjoys diplomatic immunity for the acts in question.' -- SHIN MIN PHOTO: SHIN MIN

SINGAPORE has told Romania that its former charge d'affaires Silviu Ionescu does not enjoy diplomatic immunity for his alleged offences on Dec 15 last year. Based on Article 39.2 of Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, a diplomat loses immunity for non-official acts when his posting ends and he leaves his host country. 'Dr Ionescu was using the Embassy vehicle in his private capacity and for his private purposes', said the Foreign Affairs Ministry in a statement on Thursday. 'As such, with effect from Dr Ionescu's recall, he no longer enjoys diplomatic immunity for the acts in question.' The Coroner had found that Dr Ionescu, who turned 50 last week, was behind the wheel when the Romanian embassy's Audi A6 hit three pedestrians on Dec 15, killing one of them. The evidence showed that the Romanian had removed the state flag from the car before attending a birthday party at a karaoke lounge off Selegie Road.

After the accident, Dr Ionescu was removed from his position and returned to Romania. The MFA statement was in response to the Romanian authorities, which said it cannot arrest Dr Ionescu as he enjoys diplomatic immunity which Romania has not waived. Neither has Singapore sought a waiver. Earlier this month, Singapore issued a warrant of arrest against Dr Ionescu, who is wanted for 13 criminal charges to do with the hit-and-run accident. This led to an Interpol red notice, which requests member countries to arrest Dr Ionescu with a view to his extradition. While Romania is a member of Interpol, the country's Ministry of Justice said it could not arrest Dr Ionescu because there is no extradition treaty with Singapore.

 

[neddy]

Singapore kangaroo court take 4 months to give him a head start .

But take a day to catch a street criminal .

Lesser mortals less prority, take longer to process.
If a millionnaire minister is the victim, no need half day, diplomat immuned or not.

http://www.bucharestherald.com/worl...e-great-singapore-escape-by-dr-silviu-ionescu

 

[SwineHunter]

Ionescu still has 'immunity'


Apr 26, 2010
Ionescu still has 'immunity'

<!-- by line --> By Teh Joo Lin
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<!-- end left side bar --> This is puzzling, said Foreign Minister George Yeo, as 'it seems to imply that Romania is now claiming that Dr Ionescu was engaged in official duties at the time of the accident and we do not understand how this can possibly be the case'. -- SHIN MIN

<!-- story content : start --> ROMANIA sent Singapore a diplomatic note last Friday asserting that former charge d'affaires Silviu Ionescu continues to enjoy diplomatic immunity for the hit-and-run case of Dec 15. This is puzzling, said Foreign Minister George Yeo, as 'it seems to imply that Romania is now claiming that Dr Ionescu was engaged in official duties at the time of the accident and we do not understand how this can possibly be the case'. On the other hand, Romanian media reports suggest that the Romanian police may be preparing to arrest the suspended diplomat.

The police there have told Interpol that they have the competence to prosecute him and they have started criminal proceedings against him. 'With these conflicting accounts, the sooner the Romanian legal experts visit us to clarify the situation, exchange views and review the evidence with our legal experts, the better,' said Mr Yeo. He was speaking in Parliament on Monday in response to a question from MP Irene Ng (Tampines GRC) who asked for about the case.

A Coroner's Court had found that Ionescu was behind the wheel of a car that hit three pedestrians along Bukit Panjang Road on Dec 15. One of them later died. Following this, Singapore issued an arrest warrant for Ionescu, and Interpol issued a red notice against him. The notice requests all Interpol member states to look out for him and arrest him, with a view to his extradition. The Government had also said that based on the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Rights, Ionescu was not protected by diplomatic immunity for his deeds. Based on Article 39(2), a diplomat loses immunity for private acts once he leaves his post in the host country.

On Monday, Mr Yeo told Parliament that the red notice has been suspended because of the disagreement over the intepretation of the article. In his speech, Mr Yeo also noted that other diplomats in Singapore have told the Government that Dr Ionescu has disgraced the entire diplomatic corps. 'Romania is a member state of the European Union which prides itself on its reputation as a community of values. Bucharest understands that more than Romania's own reputation is at stake and that it must live up to the EU's high standards,' added Mr Yeo.