Allegations 'entirely false'
ROMANIAN Charge d'Affaires Silviu Ionescu, who has been identified as the driver of the car involved in a hit-and-run accident that left one person dead and two others injured last December, has made very serious allegations against the integrity of the Singapore Government, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday.
An MFA spokesman on Thursday said that Dr Ionescu had in a recent interview with a television station back in Romania, alleged that the case against him was a 'set-up' by the Singapore Government because he had been reporting on political activities here.
'Dr Ionescu had alleged that there had been a similar case in 2007, when he was also accused of being the driver in a hit-and-run accident, but was eventually let off as he had an alibi at that time,' said the MFA spokesman.
MFA, which summoned Mr Aurelian Neagu, Romanian Ambassador to Singapore, to the ministry on Thursday, told the envoy that Dr Ionescu 'had made very serious allegations against the integrity of the Singapore Government which MFA categorically rejected as lacking any basis in fact.'
'These allegations were also a gross insult to the victims of the two accidents,' said the ministry's spokesman, who added that Dr Ionescu's claim that he had been accused of being the driver in a hit-and-run accident in 2007 is 'entirely false.'
The spokesman pointed out that records showed that the Romanian Embassy vehicle was involved in two traffic accidents in 2007. The first was a minor non-injury accident where the driver was not Dr Ionescu and the other driver did not wish to pursue the matter.
In the second case, it was established then that Dr Ionescu, who was the driver, was not at fault and action was taken against the other driver involved in the accident.
'These facts clearly show that Dr Ionescu's claims are fictitious and at no time was he ever accused by the Police of being the driver in a hit-and-run accident in 2007.'
MFA also asked Ambassador Neagu for more information on the status of the criminal proceedings in Romania against Dr Ionescu, and on the Romanian system of investigations and prosecutions.
'The next step will depend on the Romanian Government's response to our requests and the outcome of the Coroner's Inquiry,' said the spokesman.
--ST
In the first place, the witnesses who saw the hit and run already reported it at that time. Subsequently, this romanian reported his car missing . The descriptions from either side should have tallied. So now the big qn is, who the f go and release that chap?
It's rather LPPL.
S'pore wants diplomat back
SINGAPORE has asked for the Romanian Embassy's charge d'affaires, Dr Silviu Ionescu, to be present when an inquiry into a fatal accident last year, in which he is suspected of involvement, begins here next month.
In a strongly worded statement issued last night, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said it had summoned the Romanian Ambassador to the Republic and delivered a series of diplomatic notes.
It also revealed that Dr Ionescu was involved in a 2007 accident, of which he was cleared of any wrongdoing.
In diplomatic-speak, a summons is a serious matter, and is issued when a country seeks information, clarification or documents from another. Such summonses cannot be ignored.
The notes were delivered to Ambassador Aurelian Neagu, 50, who is based in Tokyo but flew to Singapore and accepted them yesterday.
The first note sought the Romanian Embassy's cooperation in asking Dr Ionescu, 49, to return to Singapore to attend the coroner's inquiry into the death of Mr Tong Kok Wai. He died as a result of injuries sustained in the Dec 15 accident.
--ST
Envoy claims he was framed
ROMANIAN diplomat Silviu Ionescu has said in media reports back home that the hit-and-run accident was staged by the Singapore authorities against him.
The local police tried to stage a similar accident against him in 2007, he added in an interview with Antena 3, a privately owned television station, last Saturday. The interview was picked up by the RADOR national news agency and reported subsequently in major national newspapers like the Adevarul and Evenimentul Zilei.
In the interview, Dr Ionescu said that during the past year, he had made frequent requests to Bucharest to recall him because of what he said was pressure on him arising from his reporting on Singapore's political scene.
His investigation, which he said was done on orders from the Romanian Foreign Ministry, made him an 'inconvenient person' in a country which, he suggested, has a problem with human rights.
'During the first two years, my activity was normal, confined to the normal duties of my post. In the last two years, I kept being criticised by our authorities at home for not reporting more on political activities, and in the last year I concentrated on political work,' he was quoted as saying.
'The work of a diplomat... can inconvenience the Singaporean authorities a great deal. This fact, plus my weak health condition compelled me a number of times to ask for my recall from the post,' he said.
As for the accident itself, he reiterated that at no time was he anywhere near the site. To this day, he said, he does not even know where this place is, or how the accident happened.
--ST
Romania lifts immunity
ROMANIA responded swiftly yesterday to a request from Singapore, lifting immunity for an embassy staff member here and distancing itself from remarks made by its former charge d'affaires over a fatal car accident last year.
It said that since former charge d'affaires Silviu Ionescu has been suspended from his diplomatic job, it will be up to him to decide whether to return to Singapore for a coroner's inquiry next month.
A Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Romanian MFA) spokesman told The Straits Times on Friday that his country would do 'everything possible in order to maintain and enhance good relations between Romania and Singapore'.
The spokesman, Mr Lucian Rosenfeld, also dismissed allegations by Dr Ionescu in a recent television interview that he had been 'set up' by the Singapore Government.
Romania 'firmly disassociates itself' from those accusations, Mr Rosenfeld said.
Dr Ionescu has been identified as a suspect in two hit-and-run accidents last Dec 15 involving a Romanian Embassy car.
--ST
"It said that since former charge d'affaires Silviu Ionescu has been suspended from his diplomatic job, it will be up to him to decide whether to return to Singapore for a coroner's inquiry next month."
This is the MOST LOL part.
"ROMANIA responded swiftly yesterday to a request from Singapore, lifting immunity for an embassy staff member here."
And who the hell is that? LOL
Watch out for more wayang.
Originally posted by annoy-you-must:In that case we should just send our armed forces into Romania and get Dr Ionescu back to Singapore by force. Can show all the other countries Singapore isn't one to be punked with also.
Singapore won't tolerate abuse of diplomatic immunity: Minister Yeo
SINGAPORE: Foreign Affairs Minister George Yeo says there are due processes of law in Singapore and Romania to deal with the hit-and-run accident linked to Romanian diplomat Silviu Ionescu.
He told Parliament on Monday that Singaporeans should not speculate on the accident on December 15 last year.
The accident claimed the life of 30-year-old Tong Kok Wai.
"Some have criticised the Singapore government for not acting
immediately to detain him (Dr Ionescu). I fully understand the outrage
many Singaporeans feel over the hit-and-run accident and the tragic
death of Mr Tong," said Mr Yeo.
"However, we should never do anything that is not in keeping with
due legal process, nor descend into trial by media. Otherwise, we will
weaken our own case."
Mr Yeo said when Dr Ionescu left Singapore in December, the Police had not yet completed investigations.
"In any case, we could not have prevented Dr Ionescu from leaving
Singapore, because as a diplomat accredited to Singapore, he enjoyed
diplomatic immunity and could not be detained," he said.
Mr Yeo stressed that Singapore will not tolerate any abuse of
diplomatic immunity and believes the Romanian authorities share this
view.
"MFA has zero tolerance for any abuse of diplomatic immunity by our
own diplomats, even in such matters as parking fines," he said.
"The Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman was also quoted
in the media as saying the Romanian MFA firmly demands and expects its
diplomats to respect absolutely and with no equivocation the national
laws of the country to which they are credited," he added.
"This means that the Romanian government takes the position that diplomatic immunity is not a licence to flout the law."
As for what happens after the coroner's inquiry from March 3-10, Mr Yeo said: "We will take one step at a time."
- CNA/ir
Romanian Embassy responds to MFA
THE Romanian Embassy on Tuesday officially responded to requests by Singapore's Foreign Ministry over the hit-and-run case involving a car allegedly driven by the embassy's charge d'affaires in Singapore.
The car hit three people in Bukit Panjang before speeding off on Dec 15, causing the death of 30-year-old Tong Kok Wai. The coroner's inquiry into his death starts next week, but Foreign Minister George Yeo said in Parliament on Monday that there has been no sign that the envoy at the centre of the case, Dr Silviu Ionescu, who flew home after the accident, will attend the hearing.
In apparent response to Mr Yeo's comments in Parliament, the Romanian Embassy handed over three diplomatic notes - Third Party Notes (TPN) - to the Foreign Ministry on Tuesday.
The first note acceded to MFA's request that Mr Marius Trusca, an administrative officer at the Romanian Embassy, give evidence at the coroner's inquiry on the death of Mr Tong. The Embassy added that 'Mr Trusca will assist the State Coroner in establishing the true circumstances surrounding the death of Mr Tong.'
The second note confirmed that the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs had informed Dr Ionescu, whom police investigations revealed was the driver of the Romanian Embassy car at the time of the accidents, that he attend the Coroner's Inquiry and give the Singapore authorities details of the identity of the witness whom the envoy had claimed could exonerate him.
The note added that the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has suspended its 'labour relationship' with Dr Ionescu 'during the period of criminal investigations undertaken by the Romanian authorities and cannot compel him to observe a certain line of conduct'.
'The Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs firmly dissociates itself from Dr Silviu Ionescu's statements made after his employment contract was suspended and underlines that his statements do not represent theposition of the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs,' said the note.
The Embassy also handed over a third note stating that the Romanian authorities would 'give due consideration' to MFA's request for more information on the status of the criminal proceedings in Romania against Dr Ionescu and on the Romanian system of investigations and prosecutions, and 'a detailed answer will be soon provided'.
--ST
MFA says Ionescu's comments that prosecutors are accusing him are "puzzling"
Singapore's Foreign Affairs Ministry says it's puzzled by comments made
to the media by Dr Silvio Ionescu, the former Romanian Chargé
d'Affaires, who's linked to a hit-and-run case here.
Dr Ionescu was quoted as saying that prosecutors here were accusing him long before they had the right to do so.
And that there should be a preliminary inquiry first.
He said this was clearly a sign that he shouldn't come back.
In a statement today (Feb 26), MFA said no charges have been made and no judgement has been passed on Dr Ionescu.
It said as Singapore has made clear, the Coroner's Inquiry to be held
from 3 to 10 March 2010 into the death of Mr Tong Kok Wai is not a
criminal trial.
MFA says the Coroner's Inquiry is simply to ascertain the facts and circumstances of the death.
It reiterated that Police investigations have revealed that the driver
of the vehicle at the time of the two accidents was Dr Silviu Ionescu.
It noted that Dr Ionescu has denied this.
MFA said if Dr Ionescu was not the driver as he claims, he should take
the opportunity to attend the Inquiry to give his account of the events
and pose questions to the witnesses, in order that the true
circumstances surrounding the accidents may be determined.
The ministry added that Singapore's legal system is well-known internationally for its integrity and transparency.
The Coroner will make a finding based on the evidence presented before him.
MFA has sought the assistance of the Romanian Embassy to request Dr
Ionescu to return to Singapore to attend the Coroner's Inquiry as an
"interested person" and not as a potential defendant.
It said that the Public Prosecutor has not decided whether it is appropriate to charge Dr Ionescu for any offences.
It added that the decision will be taken only after all the facts have been clarified at the Coroner's Inquiry.
MFA says if the Coroner rules that Dr Ionescu was not the driver, no charges against him will be made.
For this reason, it said it's in Dr Ionescu's interest to return to
Singapore to put his version before the Coroner or to appoint a lawyer
in Singapore to do so on his behalf.
The ministry also said it found another comment made by Dr Ionescu's "shocking".
Dr Ionescu had reportedly said "Someone died. It's not something
solitary, but happens all over the world. There are bigger stories out
there".
MFA said it trusts that the Romanian authorities do not share Dr Ionescu's irresponsible and callous attitude.
--938Live
Night out with singer
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.
--ST
Embassy car not broken into
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.
--ST
No more diplomatic immunity for him means got extradition anot?
Survivor can't recall
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, 24, was crossing the pedestrian crossing with his good friend Tong Kok Wai, 30, at the junction of Bukit Panjang Road and Bangkit Road when a black Audi A6 ploughed into them at about 3.10am on Dec 15.
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.'
--ST
Witnesses identify Ionescu
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.
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 an keep the taxi receipt,'' he said. Sometime later, the Traffic Police contacted him and he gave a statement on Dec 24 (09). 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.
--ST
this is all one big wayang. Romanian ass will never come back. MFA will be left to bite the dust and eat their crap. In the first place, why ICA let him go? LOL this is so LPPL.
Victim's witnesses testify
THE elder brother and two friends of an 18-year-old injured pedestrian in a double hit-and-run accident at Bukit Panjang took the stand on Day 3 of a coroner's inquiry on Friday.
Undergraduate Muhammad Zahari Abu Talib, 23, whose brother, Haris, was hit by a black car at the junction of Bukit Panjang Ring Road and Bukit Panjang Road on Dec 15 last year, noted the registration number of the car before running to check on his brother.
Both Haris and Zahari were on their way home when the accident happened at about 3.10am. Their friends - brothers Ihsan Lachika Irfan, 24, and Ricarno Izaan Lachica, 21 - were heading to Pending LRT Station. Mr Ihsan was also on a skateboard and Mr Ricarno, on a bicycle.
While crossing the road in a single file, a black car travelling at a fast speed approached Mr Zahari, who leapt forward. 'I noticed that the car swerved to the right, ran over my skateboard and then hit my brother. The car then sped off without stopping,' said Mr Zahari.
Mr Ricarno and Mr Ihsan said upon impact, Haris was flung on top of the car and onto the middle of the traffic junction. Mr Ihsan, who works at the Night Safari, said he noted the car registration number before it sped off.
The trio were testifying at the inquiry into the death of Mr Tong Kok Wai, 30, an assistant manager, who was also hit by the same car 140m away at another intersection. Mr Tong, who was together with his friend, Mr Bong Hwee Haw, 24, died 10 days later.
--ST
Ionescu a KTV regular
A PERSONAL relations manager of a karaoke lounge told a coroner's court on Friday that former Romanian diplomat Silviu Ionescu was a regular at the entertainment club.
Ms Kanda Loh Kailing, 25, was testifying on Day 3 of a coroner's inquest into the death of assistant manager Tong Kok Wai, 30, on Dec 25 - 10 days after he was knocked down by a car in a hit-and-run accident at Bukit Panjang.
Ms Loh, called 'mummy' or Joey by her customers and friends, said businessman Richard Lim Hsien Yeow, 33, introduced the then charge d'affaires to her last August at Legend Palace KTV at Peace Centre in Sophia Road.
She said both Mr Lim, a regular customer, and Dr Ionescu would come to Legend with their friends at least two to three times a month.
Dr Ionescu sent her a phone message on Dec 5, inviting her to the Romanian National Day celebrations at Marina Mandarin. In turn, she invited him to her birthday party on Dec 14.
She said Dr Ionescu came to the KTV with a woman companion, who looked either Korean or Japanese, at about midnight. After ushering them to a room, she left to attend to other customers.
There was a bottle of Martell, a jug of Coke and green tea on the table but she did not notice if Dr Ionescu drank.
Mr Lim said he was not sure if Dr Ionescu had any alcohol that night but saw him having a drink poured from a jug. Dr Ionescu and his companion left after 2am, he said.
About 16 hours later, Ms Loh called him and said a few police officers had been to Legend to inquire about a Caucasian man and him.
When he called Dr Ionescu, he said he was busy and did not ask much. About 10 minutes later, Dr Ionescu called and told him that there was 'some trouble with his Embassy car'.
The inquiry continues on Monday.
--ST
pay life wit life.......
Eyewitness identifies ex-Romanian diplomat as driver of black Audi
SINGAPORE: An eyewitness has identified former Romanian embassy charge d'affaires Silviu Ionescu as the driver of the car which hit three pedestrians along Bukit Panjang Road.
One of the pedestrians, Mr Tong Kok Wai, died on Christmas Day
last year, 10 days after the accident occurred.
Testifying in the Coroner's Inquiry into Mr Tong's death this morning,
Mr Mohamed Noor Hussain said he was at a coffeeshop along Bukit Panjang
Road when he heard a loud revving sound of a car engine from the
direction of Bukit Panjang Road towards Choa Chu Kang Road.
He turned towards that direction and saw a black Audi car travelling "at
fast speed", which then hit two Chinese pedestrians who were crossing a
traffic junction at Bukit Panjang Road.
The "green man" signal was flashing in favour of the pedestrians,
according to Mr Mohamed Noor.
Both pedestrians - Mr Tong and Mr Bong Hwee Haw - landed onto the car's
bonnet due to the collision. The driver applied his brakes and stopped
the car suddenly, causing both the pedestrians to be flung forward to
another pedestrian crossing.
The car did not stop to render assistance to the two pedestrians,
according to Mr Mohamed Noor, who then got up "immediately" and dashed
towards the car with a stone in his hand.
He wanted to throw the stone at the car to stop it, but the car headed
towards him. As he jumped back onto the road divider, Mr Mohamed Noor
fell and injured his leg.
The witness said the driver slowed down the car, wound down the window
and scolded him.
Mr Mohamed Noor described the driver as a fair-complexioned male person.
He was alone in the car. The car then drove off at a fast speed, but
hit another person, Mr Muhammad Haris Abu Talib, at the next traffic
junction.
Mr Mohamed Noor said he did not notice the car's vehicle registration
number "because it happened too fast".
Lawyer Subhas Anandan, who is representing Mr Tong's family in the
inquiry, then asked Mr Mohamed Noor if he was able to identify the
driver if shown a photograph of the driver.
The witness replied he would. Shown a photograph of Dr Ionescu, Mr
Mohamed Noor said the Romanian was the driver behind the black Audi.
The hearing continues.
- CNA/sc
Envoy reported car stolen
WITHIN an hour of the hit-and-run accident in Bukit Panjang last Dec 15, former Romanian diplomat Silviu Ionescu called his driver to tell him the car had been 'stolen'.
A while later, he called again to tell his driver not to call the police as he had already informed the officers. The driver, Mr Marius Trusca, took the calls between 3.30am and 4am.
Mr Trusca, 43, was giving evidence on the fifth day of the Coroner's Inquest into the death of Mr Tong Kok Wai on Tuesday morning.
Mr Tong, 30, was hit by the embassy's black Audi A6 car while crossing Bukit Panjang Road at about 3.10am. He later died in hospital. Two others were injured in the Dec 15 accident.
Mr Trusca was able to attend court as a witness after the Romanian government lifted his diplomatic immunity.
The night before the accident, Mr Trusca had driven Dr Ionescu and a Korean soprano to the Shangri-La Hotel, where they attended a function commemorating Kazakhstan's national day. After the function ended after 9pm, Mr Trusca drove them to Dr Ionescu's condominium in River Valley.
'I removed the Romanian flag..and I kept the Romanian flag. I then handed the black Audi to Dr Ionescu,' he said.
The driver then drove back to the embassy in a second embassy car, a BMW, which he had earlier parked at the condominium.
The driver, who lives at the embassy off Farrer Road, was later woken up by the late night calls from his superior. The next morning, Mr Trusca drove the BMW to the condominium, where he ferried Dr Ionescu to the embassy.
Near the embassy premises, the former diplomat asked him to 'look around' for the missing car.
'I felt puzzled as to why we had to look for the car here when it had already been stolen,' said Mr Trusca.
The hearing continues on Wednesday.
--ST
This diplomat is an animal.Should send an abduction squad to Romania and bring this white pig back to answer for his crime.
Romanian embassy driver testifies that Ionescu told him black Audi had been stolen
SINGAPORE: The Romanian driver of former charge d'affaires Silviu Ionescu gave his side of the story on Tuesday at the Coroner's Inquiry into the death of a pedestrian linked to his embassy car last December.
Romanian embassy driver, Marius Trusca, showed up on Day Five of
the Coroner's Inquiry.
During his appearance in the morning, made possible after the Romanian
government lifted his diplomatic immunity, Mr Trusca recounted what had
happened on the morning of the accident on December 15.
He said he was awakened by phone calls from Dr Ionescu from about
3.30am.
In one call, the former diplomat claimed that his car, a black Audi, had
been stolen and hung up.
Shortly after that, he called Mr Trusca again, telling him not to call
the Police as he had already done so.
Later that morning, Mr Trusca drove Dr Ionescu from his residence at
Grange Road to the embassy near Farrer Road so that he could prepare a
statement for the police.
On the way there, Dr Ionescu asked Mr Trusca to look around for the
black Audi.
The driver said he was puzzled.
He later found out in a fax from the Traffic Police that the black Audi
had been involved in an accident.
Meanwhile, Romania's Ministry of Justice has indicated that it wants to
have access to the information presented at the inquiry.
Alexandru Nicolae Coseru, Acting Charge d'Affaires, Romanian Embassy,
said: "You know that he was accused back home. So the Ministry of
Justice needs to have access to your evidences, your statements, your
declarations and things like that."
He said this has been communicated to Singapore.
He added: "They are asking politely and diplomatically to your Ministry
of Law to give them access and make a mixed commission in order to have
or to share all those information."
The hearing continues on Wednesday.
A Singapore Foreign Ministry spokesman said neither the Law nor Foreign
Affairs ministries has received such a request from the Romanian
authorities.
- CNA/TODAY/vm
Originally posted by Shorter ninja:This diplomat is an animal.Should send an abduction squad to Romania and bring this white pig back to answer for his crime.
hey it's not as easy as it seems... if sg tries to do that, the romanians would know and kpkb to the world by saying that sg plp have no right to do such things in their country and besides, SAF do not have a mossad-style squad in their organisation....