Singapore Reporter

SINGAPORE, Feb 14 (Bernama) — A court in Bucharest on Thursday doubled the sentence to six years on a former Romanian diplomat convicted for a fatal hit-and-run accident in the republic in 2009.

A spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said: “The Bucharest Court of Appeal delivered its verdict on the appeal relating to the hit-and-run case of Dr Silviu Ionescu, the former Romanian Charge d’Affaires in Singapore, on Thursday.

The spokesman said this in response to media queries on the appeal verdict on the hit-and-run accident involving Dr Ionescu.

Dr Ionescu’s initial sentence was increased from three to six years imprisonment after being found guilty of manslaughter for hitting three pedestrians.

The accident occurred while he was driving a car belonging to the Romanian mission.

Among the three pedestrians, a 30-year-old Malaysian, died.

“The Singapore government welcomes the decision by the Bucharest Court of Appeal to uphold Dr Ionescu’s conviction as well as to enhance his sentence, the spokesman added.

– BERNAMA