Embassy car in hit-and-run

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Mar 3, 2010
INQUIRY INTO HIT-AND-RUN DEATH
Night out with singer

Dr Ionescu (left) had been drinking the night before the accident, according to Ms Jeong (right). -- PHOTOS: ST, SHIN MIN

FORMER Romanian diplomat Silviu Ionescu, who is linked to the hit-and-run accident at Bukit Panjang last December, invited a Korean opera singer and voice teacher out 10 days after meeting her at a concert.

The 49-year-old then charge d'Affaires of the Romanian Embassy here and Ms Jeong Ae Ree, 40, went to a few places including Shangri--La Hotel where he had some white wine on Dec 14. The couple then adjourned to Clarke Quay and a KTV lounge at Peace Centre, Selegie Road, for a birthday party.

Taking the stand on Wednesday as the first witness at a coroner's inquiry into the death of Malaysian assistant manager Tong Kok Wai, 30, a hit-and-run victim, Ms Jeong said Dr Ionescu picked her up from her Hillcrest Arcadia home in a black Audi, which was driven by his chauffeur. After a few glasses of white wine, Dr Ionescu invited her to a birthday party elsewhere. Ms Jeung said the driver took them to a condominium where the diplomat told her he lived there. The driver removed the State flag from the car before Dr Ionescu took over the wheel.

She said they next went to Clarke Quay where they watched belly dancing outside a Turkish restaurant. Dr Ionescu had two shots of tequila, she said. At about midnight, they left for Legend Palace KTV and joined a group of people in a room. She said at the KTV, he had a few glasses of a drink, probably a mixture of coke and alcohol spirits. As she was not well, she told him repeatedly she wanted to go home. He finally took her home at about 2am.

Ms Jeong said at around 8am, she woke up to find two missed calls from Dr Ionescu at 3.50am. She sent him a text message. He said he wanted to meet her the next day at about 1pm. They met at her condominium lobby, where, for reasons unknown, he tried to explain he was only drinking juices and coke the night before and nothing else.

'He even showed me some medications to prove that he is diabetic. i do not know the reason for his explanations,'' she added. Footages from CCTV taken at Shangri-La Hotel and Legend Palace were shown in court. The inquiry continues.

 

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Jeong Ae Ree

 

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Singapore’s favourite Korean-imported soprano Jeong Ae-Ree takes the stage again in her recital Birds of Paradise with Shane Thio at the piano.​

 

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Mar 3, 2010
Embassy car not broken into
By Elena Chong

There was no evidence that the Romanian Embassy's Audi A6 car had been tampered with or broken into.
-- PHOTO: SHIN MIN

A MOTOR company manager cum assessor told a coroner's court on Wednesday that there was no evidence that the Romanian Embassy's Audi A6 car had been tampered with or broken into.
Mr Boo Seng Yak of Premium Automobile Singapore, the Audi dealer in Singapore, said the car has two remote ignition keys and an emergency ignition key. 'The car can only be driven by any of the two remote ignition keys or the emergency ignition key, as the car is equipped with an immobiliser system,' he said in his statement.
This means that if the car is broken into by a person who does not have the authorised ignition key to the car, he cannot drive it away. He added that there was no record that the car keys were reported lost or stolen.
His evidence flew in the face of a report lodged by ex-Romanian diplomat Sliviu Ionescu that the embassy car had been stolen on the morning it was involved in two hit-and-run accidents at Bukit Panjang on last Dec 15.
The accident claimed the life of assistant manager Tong Kok Wai, 30, a newly-wed, and injured two others, Malaysian Bong Hwee Haw, 24, Mr Tong's colleague, and Mr Muhammad Haris Abu Talib, 18. Mr Tong died 10 days after the accident while the other two had been discharged.
The court was hearing an inquiry into the death of Mr Tong. The hearing continues.

 

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Romanian envoy was drinking on night of hit-and-run, says Korean singing teacher

FORMER Romanian charge d'affaires Silviu Ionescu had been drinking "quite a lot" on Dec 14, said the Korean woman who had been with him that night.

This was hours before the embassy's car was involved in two traffic accidents in December. Testifying yesterday on the first day of the coroner's inquiry into the death of Mr Tong Kok Wai, 30, who was knocked down on the morning of Dec 15 and died days later in hospital, the woman said in a statement that she had met Dr Ionescu earlier, on Dec 5, at an Esplanade performance.


The accidents left two other men injured and the car that knocked them down was identified as the Romanian Embassy's car, a black Audi A6 with the licence plate S3401CD.

The woman, Ms Jeong Ae Ree, 40, is an opera singer and voice teacher. She is a Singapore permanent resident. She said that she accepted an invitation from Dr Ionescu to attend a reception at the Shangri-La Hotel on Dec 14. Ms Jeong said that Dr Ionescu, 49, picked her up on Dec 14 at around 7pm in a black Audi car that had the letters "CD" on its number plate and was driven by a chauffeur.

At the event, Ms Jeong said that Dr Ionescu had "a few glasses of white wine".

After the event at about 9pm, he invited her to a birthday party. The car, driven by the same driver, took them to a condominium that Dr Ionescu said he lived in.

The driver got out of the car and removed the state flag on the vehicle and Dr Ionescu took over the driver's seat. He then drove Ms Jeong to Clarke Quay where they sat outside a Turkish restaurant and watched a belly-dancing performance.

Ms Jeong said that he had two shots of tequila there. Around midnight on Dec 15, they left for the Legend Palace KTV at Peace Centre, where Dr Ionescu parked the car at the mall's carpark.

At the KTV, where the birthday party was held, they went to a room with a group of Chinese men and women, and Ms Jeong said that Dr Ionescu had a "few glasses of a drink, which was probably a mixture of Coke and alcohol spirits".

When State Coroner Victor Yeo asked for clarification on the drinks at the KTV, Ms Jeong said, in accented English, that the drinks looked alcoholic as there were liquor-like bottles in the room.

She added that she was offered a drink but as it was "very sweet" she could not tell if there was any alcohol in it as she had had some wine and tequila earlier.

After several requests from Ms Jeong, Dr Ionescu agreed to take her home around 2am. She added that she reached home before 3am.
At yesterday's inquiry, State Counsel Lau Wing Yum said Mr Marius Trusca, an administrative officer of the Romanian Embassy, would testify that on the evening of Dec 14 last year, he was the driver who had driven Dr Ionescu and a woman in a car with the licence plate S3401CD to the Shangri-La Hotel.

The State Counsel also said that another witness would testify that the same car was involved in a hit-and-run accident in Bukit Panjang Road on Dec 15 last year at about 3.10am.


Ms Jeong also said yesterday that, on Dec 15 last year at 8am, she received two missed calls from Dr Ionescu, both at about 3.50am. She then sent him a text message as she was "concerned" for him, as she thought he had "drunk quite a lot" the night before.

"So, I asked him if he was okay," she said.

She added that she also apologised to Dr Ionescu as she had been angry with the diplomat and had "told him nasty things" when he took her home in the early morning that day. Ms Jeong said she had also drunk a bit that night.

She said that on Dec 16 last year, she met Dr Ionescu at her home's lift lobby around 1pm, at his request. He tried to explain to her that he had been "drinking only juices and Coke the night before and nothing else".

This puzzled Ms Jeong, as she thought he had drunk alcohol. Dr Ionescu also told her he was diabetic, showed her his medication and said that he would die if he took too much alcohol.

Closed-circuit TV footage shows that Dr Ionescu was indeed with Ms Jeong at the Shangri-La Hotel, the Peace Centre KTV lounge and Ms Jeong's residence.

In his opening statement, the State Counsel also shared that another witness would be giving evidence that would show that on Dec 15 last year, at about 3.47am, a call was made to the police about the loss of the car with the licence plate S3401CD.

On Dec 15 last year, Dr Ionescu made a police report that the embassy car had been stolen. Mr Boo Seng Yak, an Audi vehicle assessor, testified yesterday that on Dec 16 last year, his firm received a fax from the Romanian Embassy signed by Dr Ionescu requesting it to evaluate repairs for the embassy's Audi A6.

There were no signs of a break-in into the car, said Mr Boo, who added that the car could not be started with keys other than the original ones.

The acting charge d'affaires, Mr Alexandru Coseru, was in attendance in court. The inquiry continues today.

 

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Survivor can't recall
Thu, Mar 04, 2010
The Straits Times
By Elena Chong
THE first injured pedestrian who was knocked down at a Bukit Panjang traffic light junction by a Romanian Embassy car last December could not recall the accident nor how he landed up in hospital.

Mr. Bong Hwee Haw can't recall what happened.
ST PHOTO: WONG KWAI CHOW

The car sped off leaving the two casualties lying on the road with serious injuries. It was later found abandoned at Sungi Kadut area. Mr Tong was pronounced brain-dead three days later. On Christmas Day, the Malaysian assistant manager was taken off life support.

Walking slowly and speaking through a Mandarin interpreter, the bespectacled Mr Bong, who was accompanied by his mother and elder sister to court, said in a statement that he was still unable to work. He was testifying on Day 2 of a coroner's inquiry into the death of Mr Tong. Before the accident, he had completed his training to be a croupier at Resorts World Sentosa.

On Dec 14 evening, Mr Tong asked to meet him and his wife at Bukit Panjang as the couple were there to view some flats. Both men ate at a coffeeshop before heading to Mr Tong's place. They waited for an hour at a nearby park before Mr Tong's wife joined them later. In the early hours of Dec 15, all three left for Mr Tong's home.

'The last thing that I remember that day was sitting and chatting to Kok Wai at a staircase landing near his flat,' he said in his statement.Normally, he said Mr Tong would always walk with him to the main road of Bukit Panjang Road to help him get a taxi. 'I do not recall the accident, where it took place, or how I got to the hospital. As a result of the accident, I sustained severe injuries to my head and a fracture to my right leg.'

 

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Madam Young, dressed in a yellow blouse and jeans, was accompanied by family and friends.
Two of Mr Tong's ex-colleagues and close friends also attended the inquiry

Madam Yenng Young (picture), 31, a Chinese Indonesian, is still grieving over the loss of her Malaysian husband, Mr Tong Kok Wai, 30.

 

[zuoom]

ok, so what if all the evidence points to FORMER Romanian charge d'affaires Silviu Ionescu?

at present rate, basically everything is against him. i can understand they are building a case up. but really.... what's next?

if the guy's not coming back. what can the govt do? is it a matter of national interest, or if it's a civil case... then what?

 

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Former Romanian diplomat, Silviu Ionescu said that he would bring "moral compensation" to victims of car accident of December 15, but refused to participate in the judicial inquiry .

When contacted, Mr. Tong’s widow Yenny Young said she had to discuss the compensation offer with her lawyer and relatives, but ‘it’s too late’.
His half-sister, Ms. Chua See Wan, added: ‘If the compensation can bring my brother back, then we will accept.’

 

[postnew]

ok, so what if all the evidence points to FORMER Romanian charge d'affaires Silviu Ionescu?

at present rate, basically everything is against him. i can understand they are building a case up. but really.... what's next?

if the guy's not coming back. what can the govt do? is it a matter of national interest, or if it's a civil case... then what?

Hire this guy to take him back !

 

[cheekenpie]

Madam Young, dressed in a yellow blouse and jeans, was accompanied by family and friends.
Two of Mr Tong's ex-colleagues and close friends also attended the inquiry

Madam Yenng Young (picture), 31, a Chinese Indonesian, is still grieving over the loss of her Malaysian husband, Mr Tong Kok Wai, 30.

Actually Madam Yenng Young not that bad lookin.... maybe i should woo her first as she might become a very rich MILF soon...

 

[johnny333]

if the guy's not coming back. what can the govt do? is it a matter of national interest, or if it's a civil case... then what?

At least in this case there's one less dangerous drunk & murderer driving in Spore. We in Spore are safer for that.

 

[BuiKia]

 

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Mr Bong Hwee Haw, his mother & Lawyer N Sreenivasan, who is representing him.

Before he left the court yesterday, he told reporters he still had a blood clot in his head, and that his leg still hurt.​

 

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Mr Bong (center) will return to his hometown in Sarawak tomorrow to recuperate before coming back here for a check-up again later this month.
Mr Bong's sister added that he wanted to stay on after his testimony but their mother (left) did not allow him to.
"My mother was afraid that he would be tired out and wanted him to go home and rest," she said.

 

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Embassy car in hit-and-run
Day 2 of the coroner's inquiry
LAST December, Muhammad Haris Abu Talib, student, was involved in a hit-and-run incident.
His accident left him in a hospital and the incident was captured by a traffic camera.
Footage of the incident was shown at the coroner's inquiry of a third man who died.
Traffic cameras showed a black Audi beating the red light and hitting the teen.
The pictures showed Muhammad Haris Abu Talib being flung into the air and landing hard on the ground after being hit by the Audi car.
He was crossing Bukit Panjang Road when he was hit by the car.
The teen was flung to the middle of the junction approximately 10 metres away.
Pictures show Muhammad Haris taking a rough tumble with his skate scooter landing some distance away.
Without stopping, the car was shown to have kept driving on.

Muhammad Haris Abu Talib, 18, was crossing the road on a skate scooter with his brother and two friends when he was hit by a black car.

18-year-old Muhammad Haris Abu Talib & his mother.

 

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THREE men, including two taxi drivers, identified Romanian charge d'affaires Dr Silviu Ionescu hours after a hit-and-run accident in Bukit Panjang.

Mr Neo Hock Beng, one of the cabbies who picked up the 49-year-old diplomat at Sungei Kadut Avenue in the early hours of Dec 15, decided to print and keep the taxi receipt as he had the feeling that the passenger was having some trouble.

Mr Neo Hock Beng, 50, taxi driver. He picked Dr Ionescu up from Sungei Kadut Drive.


The Trans-Cab driver told a coroner's inquiry into the Dec 25 death of Mr Tong Kok Wai, 10 days after he was hit by a diplomatic car, that he was driving along Woodlands Road when he saw a big Caucasian man wearing a suit at the T-junction of Sungei Kadut Avenue at around 3.15am.

The man got into his cab and asked him to go to Bukit Timah Road. While nearing Bukit Timah Road, he stopped and asked the man twice exactly where he wanted to go. The passenger said Cluny Park Road. Along the way, the man asked him how to call the police and was told to dial 999. 'I did not know why he wanted to call the police,' said the cabby.

Mr Neo then overheard the man telling someone on the phone that his car was missing. Then he made another call, speaking in a foreign language this time. When they were at Cluny Park Road, Mr Neo again asked where he wanted to go, and was told to drive to River Valley Road. Mr Neo eventually dropped the fare at Grange Heights condominium at around 4am.

'As I had the feeling that this passenger was having some trouble, I decided to print and keep the taxi receipt,' he said. Sometime later, the Traffic Police contacted him and he gave a statement on Dec 24. He also handed over the taxi receipt of $20.20. When shown The New Paper report on Dec 17, he recognised the photograph of Dr Ionescu in dark suit as the same person he had picked up on Dec 15.