BUCHAREST (AFP) – A Romanian diplomat will be tried in his native country over a hit-and-run crash in Singapore in December that killed a Malaysian national, prosecutors said on Thursday.
Silviu Ionescu, a former charge d’affaires in Singapore, has been indicted for homicide, causing physical injuries and false statements, a press release from the general prosecutor’s office said.
The date of his trial has not been set yet and he will remain in custody until then, the statement said. He was arrested by Romanian authorities in May.
Ionescu is alleged to have hit three pedestrians in two incidents in December while driving a car belonging to the Romanian mission.
One of the victims, a 30-year-old Malaysian national, suffered brain damage and died on Christmas Day, while the two others, aged 24 and 18, suffered injuries.
The diplomat, who flew back to Romania days after the accident, „did not stop to let pedestrians cross like they were allowed to do by a green light”, prosecutors said.
„He left the scene of the first crash and drove on to the following crossroad where he again did not stop by a pedestrian crossing and caused another accident”, they added.
Ionescu has publicly denied he was the driver, claiming the car was stolen. According to prosecutors, the claim „does not conform to reality.”
Singapore’s foreign ministry has repeatedly called on the Romanian government to „ensure that justice is served and seen to be served” in Ionescu’s case.
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Romanian diplomat to be tried over Singapore road death in Romania
BUCHAREST (AFP) – A Romanian diplomat will be tried in his native country over a hit-and-run crash in Singapore in December that killed a Malaysian national, prosecutors said on Thursday.
Silviu Ionescu, a former charge d’affaires in Singapore, has been indicted for homicide, causing physical injuries and false statements, a press release from the general prosecutor’s office said.
The date of his trial has not been set yet and he will remain in custody until then, the statement said. He was arrested by Romanian authorities in May.
Ionescu is alleged to have hit three pedestrians in two incidents in December while driving a car belonging to the Romanian mission.
One of the victims, a 30-year-old Malaysian national, suffered brain damage and died on Christmas Day, while the two others, aged 24 and 18, suffered injuries.
The diplomat, who flew back to Romania days after the accident, „did not stop to let pedestrians cross like they were allowed to do by a green light”, prosecutors said.
„He left the scene of the first crash and drove on to the following crossroad where he again did not stop by a pedestrian crossing and caused another accident”, they added.
Ionescu has publicly denied he was the driver, claiming the car was stolen. According to prosecutors, the claim „does not conform to reality.”
Singapore’s foreign ministry has repeatedly called on the Romanian government to „ensure that justice is served and seen to be served” in Ionescu’s case.
