Sg Govt framed me - say Romanian Diplomat Ionescu

Romanian diplomat claims he was framed
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THE Romanian diplomat who has been identified by the Singapore police as a suspect in two separate hit-and-run incidents in Bukit Panjang, had told the Romanian media that he had been "set-up" by the Singapore Government.

This was stated in a statement issued Thursday night by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) to the Romanian Ambassador to Singapore, requesting for Dr Silviu Ionescu to return to Singapore to attend the coroner's inquiry.

Dr Ionescu, who served as Romania's charge d'affaires to Singapore, said he had been set-up by authorities because he was reporting on political matters here.

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The 49-year-old also alleged that there had been a similar case in 2007, when he was accused of being the driver in a hit-and-run accident.

But he added that he was eventually let off as he had an alibi at that time.

The MFA said that Dr Ionescu had made very serious allegations against the integrity of the Singapore Government.

It also added that such allegations were also a gross insult to the victims of the two accidents and that Dr Ionescu's claim that he had been accused in 2007 was entirely false.

According to MFA's records, a vehicle registered under the Romanian Embassy was involved in two traffic accidents in 2007.

The first was a minor non-injury accident which did not involve Dr Ionescu as another person was driving the car. The matter was not pursued.

In the second accident, Dr Ionescu was the driver but it was established that he was not at fault and action was taken against the other driver involved in the accident.

The statement from MFA added: "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."

The Straits Times reported that while Dr Ionescu has not responded to any calls from them since he left Singapore on Dec 18, he has given interviews in Romania, maintaining his innocence and that there was a witness who could exonerate him.

The newspaper also reported that Dr Ionescu had told Antena 3 in a television interview last Saturday, that he had asked several times last year to be withdrawn from Singapore because he felt political pressure.