Daily Lessons from Life 02 April 2010 - S'pore ready to charge Ionescu

"Fri, Apr 02, 2010 The Straits Times - S'pore ready to charge Ionescu

SINGAPORE has taken the first steps towards criminal proceedings against former Romanian diplomat Silviu Ionescu, a day after the State Coroner found him responsible for two hit-and-run accidents in Bukit Panjang last December.


The Attorney-General's Chambers has prepared a set of 13 charges it wants to bring against Dr Ionescu, a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) last night said. The charges include causing death by reckless driving, causing grievous hurt through a rash act, and failing to stop, help or lodge a police report after the accidents."

For those who had been following this coroner trial and the judgment provided, this development is not surprising at all. It is the right thing to do by the Singapore government even when the perpetrator has diplomatic immunity in theory. It is hoped that the Romanian government will also do the right thing to allow the prosecution in Romania under Romanian's laws; or to ask the concerned party to return to Singapore to face the charges and get a fair trial - with Romanian foreign ministry members in Singapore to witness and follow the legal proceeding!

Lessons for me are:

1. it is clear that all evidence presented and witnesses' accounts clearly point to the driver on the night of the accidents is: Dr Ionescu;

2. it is clear that Dr Ionescu is NOT interested to know about these facts and is contemptuous of Singapore legal system and the independence of the judiciary. This cannot be left unchallenged as the Brand Singapore is at stake. If our political leaders go all out to make the journalists and their organizations pay for libelous claims about the government, we cannot let similar smears to prevail!;

3. it is imperative that Singapore makes the trial, if he finally appeared in Singapore's court of laws, as transparent and as efficient and effective as possible for the international community who had an interest in this case, so that we are credible and the final judgment, when it is announced, is beyond any reasonable doubt!!

May the accused be presented and may the transparent and most scrutinized trial begin soon. May the Romanian government support what is right that reasonable Romanians will demand!!

p/s: 2nd Day of my Tokyo's Visit - roamed around Tokyo on the many Metro or Subway trains to the Tokyo Tower and Chiba Park. Took many different angles of Tokyo Towers that I did not covered the last time while Chiba Park provided a glimpse of the 'hanami' (Sakura (Cherry Blossom) watching) craze in Japan as I see 'blue sheets' being laid to mark out the place when people will be sitting under the cherry trees and sip wine and eat and be merry from morning to the night in the weekend!) Went to the Shinjuku Koen (Garden) to watch more sakura trees and the beautiful blossoms! Met up with Ming, ex-Motorolan Japan, and had a wonderful dinner and catch up!