BUCHAREST - Former Romanian diplomat Silviu Ionescu was sentenced on Wednesday to 3 years' jail with immediate effect after being found guilty of culpable homicide.

The decision is not definitive, and he may yet appeal, according to a report on a Romanian TV channel.

The former charge d'affaires of Romania in Singapore was charged with culpable homicide and with deserting the site of an accident in which one person lost his life and two were left injured.

Ionescu was arraigned before the Court on July 1, 2010, by the State Prosecutor, who formally charged him with culpable homicide, grevious bodily harm with intent, deserting the place of an accident and providing false evidence to the police.