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BUCHAREST - A Romanian court jailed for 29 days Saturday a diplomat allegedly involved in a hit-and-run crash in Singapore in December that killed a Malaysian, media reported. Silviu Ionescu, a former charge d'affaires in Singapore, was detained for questioning on Friday and the court later ordered him to be arrested for 29 days pending his trial. Ionescu's lawyer filed an appeal to the court's decision, news agency Mediafax reported. Ionescu is alleged to have hit three pedestrians in two incidents in December while driving a car belonging to the Romanian mission. One of the victims, a 30-year-old Malaysian national, suffered brain damage and died on Christmas Day, while the two others suffered injuries. The diplomat, who flew back to Romania days after the accident, 'has tried to influence witnesses' depositions and asked an employee to ... erase data in his computer,' prosecutors said. Ionescu has publicly denied he was the driver, claiming the car was stolen. In interviews to Romanian media, he alleged he was 'a victim of a conspiracy by Singapore authorities.' Last month Singapore issued an arrest warrant after a coroner's court ruled that Ionescu was driving the car involved in the accident. Singapore's foreign ministry said the Romanian government had the moral obligation to persuade Ionescu to return to face the charges. There is no extradition treaty between the two countries. 'The Romanian government must in its own interests ensure that justice was served and seen to be served,' a spokesman said in a statement. 'Otherwise, there would inevitably be consequences for bilateral relations.' Source : Asiaone