Under heavy pressure from the Singapore government for justice, the Romanian authorities arrested Silviu Ionescu for allegedly hitting three pedestrians while driving a car belonging to the Romanian Embassy in Singapore in May 2010. One of the victims died.

Up till today, Ionescu still publicly denied he was the driver although the evidence was stacked against him.

Singapore's Foreign Ministry spokesman said it is clear from the findings of the Coroner's Inquiry that the acts for which Dr Silviu Ionescu has been charged were not pursuant to his official functions.

Dr Ionescu was using his embassy car in his private capacity and for his private purposes. As such, with effect from Dr Ionescu's recall, he no longer enjoys diplomatic immunity for the acts in question.

'The Romanian diplomat in Singapore? Yes, yes, I know about this, it was on the news,' said the taxi driver as he wove through one of the Romanian capital's legendary traffic jams. 'He was driving the car, and maybe drinking, and then he ran away, yes?'

During a visit to get a sense of what ordinary Romanians made of the story that has Singapore buzzing, all 15 people asked about the notorious traffic accident were aware of it.

The cabby, Mr Cristian Chiran, did not know Dr Silviu Ionescu by name. The former charge d'affaires does not have quite the same notoriety here.