Romanian diplomat Ionescu was the driver in fatal hit-and-run

[zujjkiol]

SINGAPORE: State Coroner Victor Yeo has ruled that Dr Silviu Ionescu, Romania's former Charge d'Affaires was the driver of the car involved in the hit-and-run accidents that took place on 15 December last year.

The car, which belongs to the Romanian Embassy, was involved in two accidents in the Bukit Panjang area at around 3am that day.

Three pedestrians were hit.

One of them, 30-year-old Singapore permanent resident, Tong Kok Wai, succumbed to his injuries and died ten days later.

The other two, 24-year-old Bong Hwee Haw and 18-year-old Muhammad Haris Abu, were injured.

The State Coroner delivered his verdict after a six-day hearing involving 54 witnesses.

 

[captainxerox]

court telling us what we already know. even ionescu also know.

 

[red amoeba]

all the wayang for a few months to tell us something that we know since day one???

hello, surely our judicial system can do better than that?

 

[Jabba]

3.5 months to ascertain the driver...i am sure those local drivers who got charged for drink driving...hit and run etc are already serving their sentence by now...why don't we just drop the case and face it that he is never going to come back here? romanian govt already expressed that they have no power to force him to come back here as he is not employed by the romanian govt anymore....phui!

 

[Medusa]

.

Haha! Chee your mother bye lah. Cannot win in cyber flame war against an anti FAP forummer like me so FAP dogs like u will happily shift blame to SDP / opposition party. That's pathetic of u FAP dogs. Try harder ok? The OA is online 24/7 here not like u who sleep like a pig at this hour cos u have to report to your master for work the next day. Remember that in sammyboy the OA owns you.

 

[Taishi Ci]

I am snoring like a pig now so please do not disturb me ok. :p

You fat ugly lazy pig! What time is it now?? Remember that in sammyboy the OA owns you.

 

[ho_seh_liow]

Just one example of incident to show that FT will never be beholdened to Singapore. The only people who have feelings for Singapore are Singaporeans ourselves.
I hope the govt realises this, and indeed they have wakened up to this reality by introducing priviledeges exclusively for Singaporeans only.

 

[Baroko]

I hope the govt realises this, and indeed they have wakened up to this reality by introducing priviledeges exclusively for Singaporeans only.

Too little too late. Some have already "fallen" onto MRT tracks.

 

[wizard]

Can Our MPs show the same degree of determination and toughness to deal with it like they deal with oppositions...

The answer is NO...

Can they force the Romenia ambassy to close shop... YES but for trade reasons ... NO


Let it go lahh...


Come join me sing a SONG..

Upturn and down turn... down and upturn...

OKIE stupid sinkie vote for me next election..

Law is only for singaporean....see how I change single seat to GRC legally..

You are stupid.... Can old man jump out from grave and settle the diplomat..NO.. But get SIA pilots, CAN...

66%....upturn and downturn

 

[vincenttan]

Singapore does not have much trades with Romanian, force their authorities to hand over the liar/killer or else get people's power to chase all Romanians off our country.

 

[zujjkiol]

Apr 1, 2010
S'POREANS SAY...
Bring him to justice here
By Zeslene Mao & Luke Vijay


Very difficult to get Ionescu to come back

Waiving diplomatic immunity for Dr Silviu Ionescu so that he can be prosecuted in Singapore is unlikely, Romania's ambassador to the Republic said yesterday.

In a phone interview after the Coroner's Court delivered its verdict, Mr Aurelian Neagu, who is based in Japan, said: 'I don't think you can. There's no extradition treaty between Romania and Singapore.

'Even if you start legal proceedings in Singapore against him, you will have huge difficulties bringing him here.'

Mr Neagu said it was still too early to tell if Dr Ionescu will eventually be charged in Romania.

He explained that his country had yet to receive evidence related to the case from the Singapore authorities.

'To my understanding so far, the Prosecutor's Office doesn't have much information except for the articles in the newspapers and discussions...

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

 

[streetsmart73]

all the wayang for a few months to tell us something that we know since day one???

hello, surely our judicial system can do better than that?

hi there

1. come on! this is what it can do best! barking at sheep's front door mah!
2. sheep being world-class and world no.1 stuffs, yet unable to get the culprit to sheepishland is more than a joke.
3. this is what sheep pay millions for some talk-only scholars, elites and daft sheep.

 

[Frankiestine]

Ah Kua kia LHL and his gov can only hold their two hairy ding dongs and squeeze them...what can they do...:oIo::oIo:

 

[Cestbon]

Now the problem is how to bring back Ionescu( the killer) and charge him. What can our Foreign Minister/PM/Prataman do do bring him back. Or force Romanian Embassy PIC to bring him back?
Here the list that will be charge against him. Sure going to Jail more than 10 year.
1. Hit and run twice ( that will jail for 10 year)
2. False statement( about car lost)
3. Ask Korean Opera siner to give false statement.
4. When ask to stop by the pedestrain whose withness the scene still run away and scold him.
5. Never come back when invited to help investigation( meaning running away)
The list go on...................if normal peasant sure kena jail min. 20 year.

 

[Ramseth]

Under international diplomatic laws, Singapore can't charge Ionescu or demand extradition. The maximum a host country could do is to expel the diplomat (which there's no need to since he run back on his own accord). It's up to Romania to decide whether they want to charge him in Romania or not. In this sense, Singapore would forward the findings to Romania.

Ionescu seemed simply drunk and drunkenness added to his arrogance and cowardice. There's no such thing as summoning or charging a diplomat driving a car with embassy carplate even if drunk or beat red light. Had he stopped in the first instance and rendered help, a small slap on the palm, some compensation and write-off as traffic accident at most.

Now he beaten second red light, killed somebody, moved on, abandoned vehicle and lodged false police report. Romania would look very bad internationally if they don't do something about it.

Now the problem is how to bring back Ionescu( the killer) and charge him. What can our Foreign Minister/PM/Prataman do do bring him back. Or force Romanian Embassy PIC to bring him back?
Here the list that will be charge against him. Sure going to Jail more than 10 year.
1. Hit and run twice ( that will jail for 10 year)
2. False statement( about car lost)
3. Ask Korean Opera siner to give false statement.
4. When ask to stop by the pedestrain whose withness the scene still run away and scold him.
5. Never come back when invited to help investigation( meaning running away)
The list go on...................if normal peasant sure kena jail min. 20 year.

 

[Faidenk]

Now the problem is how to bring back Ionescu( the killer) and charge him. What can our Foreign Minister/PM/Prataman do do bring him back. Or force Romanian Embassy PIC to bring him back?

Do you seriously think they even contemplate bringing him back when they tried so hard to let him go?

He left SG 3 days after the accident. During these 3 days the authorities already have interviewed all the witnesses and would have statements that he was the driver, at least from 90% of the witnesses.

And still let him go?

 

[tua lam pah]

Do you seriously think they even contemplate bringing him back when they tried so hard to let him go?

He left SG 3 days after the accident. During these 3 days the authorities already have interviewed all the witnesses and would have statements that he was the driver, at least from 90% of the witnesses.

And still let him go?

you are right...

the question now is.....
what would you do if you are the dead man's father or brother?
why there is this crap about diplomats no need to follow the law?

 

[theblackhole]

there's no way anyone..yes anyone..who has committed a hideous crime escape from the punishment that will inevitably follow...it's better to admit your guilt, apologise, repent,atone, serve your punishment and move on...otherwise the pain,grief and anguish that follow will be very much more painful and agonising....

using words like "dogs" with such arrogance and insensitivity speaks very badly of the driver responsible for the death of the pedestrain and those he had knocked down....the evidences are over-whelming and there is no indication of any "sorry or repentance"....

'BULLSHIT!' can turn round and shit on your face!!!

 

[tioliaohuat]

Singapore's Foreign Ministry summons Romanian Ambassador to Singapore
Posted: 01 April 2010 2120 hrs


artist's impression during hearing into hit-and-run case (MediaCorp NewsHub)



SINGAPORE: Singapore's Foreign Ministry has summoned the Romanian Ambassador to Singapore, Aurelian Neagu, to a meeting next week in the city-state to discuss the charges preferred by the Attorney-General's Chambers against Dr Silviu Ionescu.

The state coroner had ruled that Dr Ionescu, Romania's former Charge d'Affaires, was the driver of the car that hit three pedestrians on December 15 last year.

Responding to media queries, the Ministry provided a summary of the charges.

They include:

- Causing the death of Mr Tong Kok Wai by reckless driving, or alternatively, by a rash act not amounting to culpable homicide

- Causing grievous hurt to Mr Bong Hwee Hwa by a rash act

- Reckless driving, resulting in a collision into Mr Muhammad Haris Abu Talib

- Failing to stop after an accident

- Failing to lodge a report after an accident

- Failing to render assistance after an accident

- Removing vehicle without police authority

- Giving false information to a police officer

The ministry added that Dr Silviu Ionescu's comments carried in the media are outrageous and cast aspersions on the integrity of Singapore's judicial system, which are entirely without basis.

The Singapore legal system is widely known for its transparency, integrity and high standards, and has consistently scored highly in international rankings on the administration of justice and judicial independence.

In the Institute for Management Development World Competitiveness Yearbook 2009, Singapore placed 13th in the area of the fair administration of justice, while Romania ranked 37th.

In the Global Competitiveness Report 2009-2010, Singapore was 19th for judicial independence, compared to Romania's 84th placing.

The ministry said that as Dr Ionescu continues to maintain his innocence, the best way to resolve this is for him to return to Singapore to give his side of the story.

It added that Dr Ionescu remains an employee of the Romanian Foreign Ministry. While he has been suspended from his duties, he has not been dismissed.

It also said that at the meeting next week, it trusts that the ambassador will unambiguously and categorically disassociate the Romanian government from Dr Ionescu's views.

Furthermore, MFA said it is puzzled by the comments reportedly made by Ambassador Neagu in Thursday's Straits Times that Romania had yet to receive evidence related to the case from the Singapore authorities.

The ministry said this is untrue, pointing out that copies of the documents that were tendered at the Coroner's Inquiry were extended to Mr Alex Coseru of the Romanian Embassy during the course of the Inquiry from 3 March 2010 to 10 March 2010.

These consisted of two document folders and eight volumes of photographs.

On the last day of the Inquiry on 10 March 2010, Mr Alex Coseru requested from the State Counsel a copy of the Investigation Report. This was extended to him and he left thereafter, leaving behind the two document folders and the eight volumes of photographs which were earlier given to him.

The Singapore authorities have seen to the due process of the law in Singapore.

Singapore will cooperate to the fullest extent possible under its law with the Romanian authorities to ensure that justice is served.

- CNA/yb

 

[Lee5604]

Can't our courts charge him for manslaughter in absentia?