Former diplomat unlikely to attend hit-and-run inquiry in Singapore

Feb 26, 2010, 3:36 GMT

Singapore - A former Romanian diplomat in Singapore is unlikely to return to the city-state for a coroner's inquiry into the car-accident death of a Singaporean but said he is determined to clear his name and would be writing to the government.

Silviu Ionescu, suspected of being the driver of a Romanian embassy car that was involved in two accidents December 15 that killed Tong Kok Wai and injured two other people, told a newspaper that he would give his official response on the accidents to the Singapore government in a letter.

'I am not guilty,' the Straits Times quoted Ionescu as saying in its Friday edition. He has denied having anything to do with the December accidents.

Ionescu said he had been willing to come back to Singapore to address the accidents but changed his mind after reading news reports that he was a suspect.

Ionescu went home to Romania three days after the accident, citing health problems.

Singapore has demanded full investigations into the accidents by the Romanian government.

About 50 witnesses, including the embassy's driver and administrative officer Marius Trusca, are to give evidence at the inquiry to be held April 12-23.