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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. -- PHOTO: SHIN MIN
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.
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.
