Silviu Ionescu ..Remains in Prison

For a moment, earlier news reports that Silviu Ionescu may be released from detention by Romania's courts must have raised eyebrows of everyone concerned for justice and the victims of this case. Once he is released, there may be no guarantee that with his criminal connections he cannot make a permanent run for it. Many people charged for serious crimes are NEVER released even temporarily. Those foolishly released by the courts tend to disappear altogether...permanently!

So, the Romanian courts did the right thing when they decided not to let him out. Ionescu may not realise it yet but will appreciate it by and by.He's actually safer inside prison than outside. Obviously this chap has been an international embarassment to the good image of Romania as a country, not just their justice system.

So, if they wanted to get rid of him it would be accomplished more easily outside.

Report below is from CNA online news

.

Photo source: CNA online news

BUCHAREST:

Former Romanian diplomat Silviu Ionescu will remain in prison in Bucharest.His appeal for release from detention under judicial supervision was denied by Romania's courts on Tuesday.Romanian prosecutors successfully argued for the judge not to grant the appeal, and extended the ex-diplomat's detention warrant.50-year old Ionescu is accused of hitting three pedestrians in a hit-and-run accident in Bukit Panjang in Singapore on December 15 last year.One of the pedestrians died.Ionescu will be in court again on November 17.

-CNA/ac

Silviu Ionescu...will face trial in Romania

>> ASIAONE / NEWS / ASIAONE NEWS / SINGAPORE / STORY

Fri, Jul 02, 2010 AFP
Romanian diplomat to be tried over Singapore road death in Romania

For more photos, click here.

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.

What others are saying:

Many who left comments on online forums are prepared to be patient just to wait and see

if this is all just typical Romanian " wayang " ( make belief drama ).

Some predicted that the Romanian authorities will definitely have a court hearing of sorts.

Then due to some concocted "technical" legal mambo-jambo the court has no jurisdiction to hear

such a "complicated" case that may require the presence of ALL the relevant witnesses [ from Singapore obviously ] etc..etc..

Another posted view is that they will transfer and keep transferring this case from one court to

another simply to make everyone exhausted.

Well as I've said...these are some of the views I've come across on the net. There are more extreme views.

My personal view

is that our S'pore legal experts are well versed in international law and should

be able to deal with " monkey" business of any kind. For this we have much to thank our M'sian

friends led by the one mad doctor for providing our side with much practice. They kept shifting the goalposts in critical negotiations and tried to change the rules of the game too. In football parlance...they make the rules, appoint themselves as Referee, award penalty kicks against us and when even after all that...they lose the game...will declare the match NULL and VOID !

That was why for the Pedra Branca case, the mad doctor and his merry men became madder!

The International Court ruled mostly in Singapore's favour and there is no APPEAL for such rulings.

The question it seems to me is not about Singapore per se but rather about ROMANIA's deplorable reputation to rule of law, justice and fairplay.

It would be utterly stupidity personified if Romania choose to save or protect this criminal at the expense of their already tarnished reputation and credibility.

Let's wait and see. Silviu can run but he cannot hide forever.

Silviu Ionescu...handcuffed & detained in jail!

Photo credit: From Bucharest Herald

This is one of the latest photos of this shameful so-called "diplomat". Below picture as well as in many news live reports showed him being led away in handcuffs after the Romanian Court had jailed him for 29 days for further investigations. He looks exactly like a man on the run...haggled, hair all turned white and an overall unhealthy look and appearance with sallow face.

There are reports from the local diplomatic and international community..castigating this disgraced buffoon as having brought great shame and loss of integrity to the diplomatic corps.

Many people are beginning to question his perhaps questionable background.

How did he become a " Dr"?

Who was protecting him in Romania or elsewhere? Else, how could he be so BRAZEN on

Romanian news and TV making very damaging but SCURRILOUS and nonsensical charges

against Singapore and our authorities?

It seems improbable that someone without any backing can be ALLOWED and PERMITTED to

level SERIOUS allegations of injustice concerning his own case....AFTER the Coroner's Full Inquiry had shown the whole world...he was responsible.

What other shady deals and with what characters has he been involved in?

[ Newsclip source: Unk Dicko's Archives..Sunday Times 9/5/2010 ]

Let's wait and see whether this is just some smokescreen akin to some Hollywood stuff or if

some "Indian chiefs "in their country really have some power to put a stop to this charade....and bring that buffoon back here for a fair trial.

Romania...Political Gamesmanship?

ASIAONE / NEWS / ASIAONE NEWS / SINGAPORE / STORY

'Ionescu still has 'immunity'
Mon, Apr 26, 2010 AsiaOne

ROMANIA sent Singapore a diplomatic note last Friday asserting that former charge d'affaires Silviu Ionescu continues to enjoy diplomatic immunity for the hit-and-run case of December 15, 2009.
This is puzzling, said Foreign Minister George Yeo, as 'it seems to imply that Romania is now claiming that Dr Ionescu was engaged in official duties at the time of the accident and we do not understand how this can possibly be the case'.
On the other hand, Romanian media reports suggest that the Romanian police may be preparing to arrest the suspended diplomat. The police there have told Interpol that they have the competence to prosecute him and they have started criminal proceedings against him.

According to Minister George Yeo, these media reports have not confirmed, but the Romanian police has informed INTERPOL that the competence to prosecute Dr Ionescu remains with Romania and that criminal proceedings against him have started in Romania for crimes committed in Singapore.
With these conflicting accounts, the sooner the Romanian legal experts visit us to clarify the situation, exchange views and review the evidence with our legal experts, the better. The visit is expected to take place by May this year.

Singapore has continually stressed to Romanian Ambassador Mr. Aurelian Neagu, that the Romanian Government should not underestimate the outrage that Singaporeans feel about this case and that justice must not only be served, but seen to be served and served expeditiously.If not, as the MFA statement has already made clear on April 9, 2010, bilateral relations will be harmed.
However, Minister Yeo stressed the importance to be disciplined and to carefully observe due process despite feeling impatient.

Transcript of Minister George Yeo's replies to supplementary questions, April 26, 2010.

Ms Irene Ng Phek Hoong:
First I would like to commend the Minister for his firm handling of the case. It is important that Romania does not underestimate our determination and resolve to pursue this case to ensure that justice is served.
Can I ask the Minister if Romania has given an indication of how long the criminal investigations would take in their country?Also given that Romania does not seem to share the same understanding as Singapore that Ionescu does not have diplomatic immunity, is there a higher international body that we can turn to resolve this?

Minister George Yeo:
Legally speaking, there is no higher authority we can appeal to. Because of some disagreement or confusion over the interpretation of Article 39.2 of the Vienna Convention, the earlier Interpol Red Notice has been suspended.This is part of Interpol's procedures, in that if there are differing views, they would pursue the matter further before reactivating the Red Arrest Notice.
All these require the two sides to meet. They have already said that members of the Prosecutor's office and Police would come to Singapore.We told them not to delay this and to come as quickly as possible in May. Let us clarify the position between ourselves and enable the process in Romania to go forth with our fullest cooperation.
Separately, MFA has asked our Ambassador in Brussels to visit Romania with members of our own Attorney-General's Chambers, in order to familiarise themselves with the legal procedures and processes in Romania. We are also engaging a lawyer to hold a watching brief for us in Romania.

The Wise Owl comments:
I think it is high time that we call a spade a spade!
The nonsense that is coming out from Romania is not only "puzzling"but defies logic and belief.
Ionescu is just one, solitary criminal.But when Romania sent Singapore a "Diplomatic note" last Friday, they are acting as a COUNTRY and doing so for " other reasons" other than saving Ionescu's hide.
I do not think the Romanian Govt, for even one moment, feels that Ionescu is an angel.If an exact similar case scenario had happened in Romania with Ionescu involved...I do not believe he will escape punishment of the severest kind.
Why then is Romania adopting this " playing with marbles" attitude towards Singapore?
Is it because we are just a " tiny little red dot" as a once high and mighty, unneighbourly fella recklessly called us ...while they are a big country where Dracula once came from?
The longer they continue this game of political upsmanship...the more Singaporeans everywhere should speak out loudly and clearly that we do not stand for such uncivilised behaviour anymore.
As the Minister said...." Bilateral ties WILL be HARMED! "
And I can offer a couple of suggestions free of charge...to make them take us more seriously as a nation.

Is ROMANIA 'protecting' Silviu Ionescu?

Singapore
Home > Breaking News > Singapore > Story, Straits Times online

Apr 15, 2010
No immunity for Ionescu
By Teh Joo Lin

'Dr Ionescu was using the Embassy vehicle in his private capacity and for his private purposes', said the Foreign Affairs Ministry in a statement on Thursday. 'As such, with effect from Dr Ionescu's recall, he no longer enjoys diplomatic immunity for the acts in question.' -- SHIN MIN PHOTO: SHIN MIN

SINGAPORE has told Romania that its former charge d'affaires Silviu Ionescu does not enjoy diplomatic immunity for his alleged offences on Dec 15 last year. Based on Article 39.2 of Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, a diplomat loses immunity for non-official acts when his posting ends and he leaves his host country.
'Dr Ionescu was using the Embassy vehicle in his private capacity and for his private purposes', said the Foreign Affairs Ministry in a statement on Thursday. 'As such, with effect from Dr Ionescu's recall, he no longer enjoys diplomatic immunity for the acts in question.'

The Coroner had found that Dr Ionescu, who turned 50 last week, was behind the wheel when the Romanian embassy's Audi A6 hit three pedestrians on Dec 15, killing one of them. The evidence showed that the Romanian had removed the state flag from the car before attending a birthday party at a karaoke lounge off Selegie Road. After the accident, Dr Ionescu was removed from his position and returned to Romania.

The MFA statement was in response to the Romanian authorities, which said it cannot arrest Dr Ionescu as he enjoys diplomatic immunity which Romania has not waived. Neither has Singapore sought a waiver.

Earlier this month, Singapore issued a warrant of arrest against Dr Ionescu, who is wanted for 13 criminal charges to do with the hit-and-run accident. This led to an Interpol red notice, which requests member countries to arrest Dr Ionescu with a view to his extradition.
While Romania is a member of Interpol, the country's Ministry of Justice said it could not arrest Dr Ionescu because there is no extradition treaty with Singapore.
Read also:

'Desperate and cowardly'

Wise Owl comments:

I find it more than puzzling with the stance adopted by Romania. There are 2 separate issues at stake here.

1. Romania claims Ionescu is still enjoying diplomatic immunity back home.

2. Romania also claims it could not arrest Ionescu because no extradition treaty exist between our two countries.

First issue is a self-created one by Romania. WHO has the legal right and authority to remove any Romanian's diplomatic immunity in Romania itself ??? Obviously not Singapore.

Only the Romanian Government can do that...IF THEY WANT TO !

And this so-called criminal ex-diplomat, already identified by INTERPOL as a wanted person, is not even arrested in his own country! Not only that ...he still ENJOYS diplomatic immunity! That's what they are saying.

Really, Romania is making itself to be a laughing stock in reliability and credibility

.

The 2nd issue uses the pretext of "we haven't got a extradition pact".... therefore we can't arrest him. Who said you can't arrest? This is what I call playing political chess games...in my earlier post comments.

Mind you Ionescu's crime has been proven in open court inquiry and all the evidence and reports have been handed to them by their requests.

I believe there are too many heads holding some say within their structure...that is too many red indian chiefs, with no one having a giant say to come up front and put things right. Thus they end up confusing themselves and eventually may be labelled by the rest of the international community as a p**** h state.

Just imagine a hypothetical case.

Let's say a diplomat from X country has commited a crime or crimes in Romania.

Let's say the crime is the murder of a top officer in government or committed brutal rape against some young school girls or set off a bomb that killed scores of people, or simply assaulting an innocent bystander until the victime dies because he had an argument with him..

or this or that...whatever, they are all crimes! And their police investigate and prove all the charges. Then they try to locate diplomat "X" but "X" has flown from the cage...back to the

" safety of his own country".

Remember, "X" is not like many of those who commit crimes remaining Unknown and Uncaught. "X" is very well known...he's a diplomat who can run but not hide.

Then Romania approaches X country to seek their help in arresting this diplomat criminal.

Wouldn't they do that? They owe it to the victims who are their own citizens.

So what should X country do on receipt of such a request?

I know how Singapore would respond.... as a light and beacon to the world by example.

But X country is not Singapore.

Well, it depends on the depth and genuineness of the so-called friendship factor between X and the requesting country. If there is genuine, deep-rooted understanding and friendship..it is quite easy to arrest a wanted criminal and send him to face trial in the requester country.

There is no extradition treaty between Singapore and Indonesia but on a friendly and reciprocal basis, both send wanted criminals to whichever side is making the request.

An excellent example is the Mas Selamat case.

He was arrested by Indonesia and sent to us at S'pore's request. Yes...a request! Not based on a pact! There are more examples.

You can be 100% certain that if you are a proven, wanted criminal on Interpol"s list and

the whole world is looking for you...can you imagine yourself walking everywhere in Singapore freely, and with our full govt's blessing and backing? If that be the case our people, government and country will be labelled as a p****h state too.

We will then have no where to hide our face.

And face and credibility go hand in hand.

If Romania wants to be respected as a responsible member of the International Community it has to learn to deal straight and not play dangerous political games....not even with a tiny nation like S'pore.