IONESCU SAYS HIT-AND-RUN IS 2ND TIME S'PORE IS TRYING TO FRAME HIM 28 Jul 2010 Source: The Straits Times BUCHAREST: Former Romanian diplomat Silviu Ionescu yesterday rejected the charges against him when he appeared for the first time before a criminal court in his home country, in connection with a double hit-and-run accident in Singapore last year. At yesterday morning’s proceedings, he also sought to be freed under judicial supervision. Ionescu has been remanded in a Romanian prison for over two months leading up to the trial. He left Singapore three days after he allegedly hit three pedestrians on Dec 15 in Bukit Panjang, killing one of them. Insisting on his innocence, Ionescu refused to return to Singapore to face charges. On July 1, the Romanian authorities announced that they would prosecute him. The 50-year-old former charge d’affaires was handcuffed and clutching a soda bottle as he was charged with culpable homicide, personal injury, making false statements and leaving the site of an accident. The most serious charge of homicide involving the death of one person carries a maximum seven-year jail term. But Ionescu was calm and collected as he claimed the evidence against him was insufficient and had been doctored. He added that he was the victim of a state conspiracy, claiming that this was the second time the Singapore authorities had tried to blame him for a hit-and-run accident. The first case was dropped after witnesses confirmed he had been at a diplomatic reception at the time of the alleged incident, he claimed. Ionescu also took issue with two police reports he was said to have made, detailing what happened last December. He said he did not write the first report, only the second, and even that contained errors as it was transcribed by someone else. There was a slight hiccup at the start of the hearing when the defence counsel went out of the courtroom for a few minutes and a disoriented Ionescu found himself having to account for the lawyer’s absence when the judge wanted to start the day’s proceedings. None of the victims or their representatives was in court. The Singapore Government was represented in the court by Special Envoy to Romania Anil Kumar Nayar. Ionescu used the absence of the widow of Mr Tong Kok Wai, 30, and the other victims as an argument for his release. “They knew that July 20 was the deadline for the court appearance and yet they are missing. Is there any reason at all to keep me in prison waiting for them to testify?” he asked the judge. Under Romanian law, the victims could be invited to the trial later on. The prosecutor urged the judge to keep Ionescu in custody because he said Ionescu had tried to cover up evidence and mislead investigators. The prosecutor also said that one of Ionescu’s sons has a job and could support his family during his absence. This was in response to Ionescu’s argument that as the sole breadwinner he should not be behind bars. “I would not have brought this up before the media, but my wife is currently committed to an isolated room in Bucharest’s Hospital Number 9,” Ionescu told the court, referring to a mental institution. His attorney confirmed that Mrs Ionescu has been a patient there since July 20 for schizophrenia. Ionescu is seeking to be released under judicial supervision, which in Romanian law means that he is freed from detention but is not allowed to leave the country and has to report to the police regularly as long as the trial is continuing. The judge is expected to make a decision on Ionescu’s request within days. A trial date was set for Oct 6. Ionescu, who was in court accompanied by one of his sons, was represented by a new lawyer yesterday. Mrs Maria Vasii told The Straits Times that she no longer represents Ionescu during this phase of his case. “Our legal team’s numerous and we decided that Mr Ionescu should be represented in court by someone more able to commit to the case,” she said. Outside the courtroom, Ionescu’s new lawyer, Mr Nelu Tasca, told the media that the evidence against his client was circumstantial. “There may be proof that he was driving the car at 2am, but that does not mean he was also driving it at 3am,” he said. “The embassy’s car was easily accessible for many people; the driver also had a set of keys and there was also a third such set, so anyone could have, theoretically, taken the car for a spin.” There was no film footage at all from the first accident and the footage available from the second one did not clearly identify the registration plates, the lawyer added. As for his client’s accusation that he was framed, Mr Tasca said: “This has to do with things so secret, he could not reveal them even to me. It’s a case of state secrets.” One of the witnesses he plans on bringing to the stand is Mr Dan Diaconescu, the owner of television network OTV. It is the defence’s case that Mr Diaconescu had sent a crew to Singapore to investigate the incident and that Ionescu is depending on the crew’s findings to prove his innocence. Mr Nayar, in a press briefing after the hearing, expressed “cautious optimism” about the proceedings. “It’s a good sign that the trial is on, regardless of its speed,” he said. He also pointed out that all of the world’s eyes are now on Romania and how it dealt with the case. While noting that different legal systems worked differently, “it’s most important that justice be served”, he concluded. BROWSE FULL REPORT Ionescu says hit-and-run is 2nd time S'pore is trying to frame him 28 Jul 2010 Romanian envoy told driver to look for 'stolen' car 10 Mar 2010 Bukit Panjang hit-and-run death: I saw envoy face to face, says witness 09 Mar 2010 Romanian envoy not returning for inquiry because of 'poor health' 26 Feb 2010 Romanian envoy in hit-and-run: Largest inquiry ever involves 50 witnesses 25 Feb 2010 Hit-and-run envoy faces 2 - 7 years if convicted in Romania 05 Feb 2010 Romanian envoy charged with manslaughter 04 Feb 2010 Romanian diplomat was driver in hit-and-run accident 27 Jan 2010 Copyright © 2011 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. Co. Regn No. 198402868E | Terms & Conditions