Former Nissan boss Ghosn indicted on aggravated breach of trust charge

Former Nissan chairman Ghosn speaks on camera in Tokyo. Japanese media reported on Monday, April 22, 2019, that Ghosn was indicted on new breach of trust charges. Picture: Carlos Ghosn via AP

Former Nissan chairman Ghosn speaks on camera in Tokyo. Japanese media reported on Monday, April 22, 2019, that Ghosn was indicted on new breach of trust charges. Picture: Carlos Ghosn via AP

Published Apr 22, 2019

Share

Tokyo - Japanese prosecutors indicted

former Nissan Motor Co Chairman Carlos Ghosn on Monday

on a charge of aggravated breach of trust, a Tokyo court said,

bringing a fourth charge against him on the day his detention

period was set to expire.

Ghosn's lawyers filed a request for bail shortly after the

latest indictment, which comes after authorities arrested him on

April 4 for the fourth time, on suspicion he enriched himself by

a total of $5 million at Nissan's expense.

Ghosn, who faces three other charges including understating

his income, has denied all allegations against him and said he

is the victim of a boardroom coup. Nissan on Monday said it had

filed a criminal complaint against the former chairman, saying

it had determined that some of its overseas payments had been

ordered by Ghosn for his personal enrichment.

The payments were "not necessary from a business

standpoint", Nissan said in a statement, adding: "Such

misconduct is completely unacceptable, and Nissan is requesting

appropriately strict penalties."

Prosecutors were due to hold a briefing and Ghosn's lawyers

were also due to speak to reporters on Monday.

Prosecutors had to indict or release Ghosn by Monday under

the terms of his detention.

Before he was re-arrested this month, Ghosn had been out on

$9 million bail for 30 days. He is now being held in the same

Tokyo detention centre where he was detained for 108 days

following his dramatic initial arrest on the tarmac at a Tokyo

airport in November.

OMAN DEALER

The Kyodo news agency has previously reported that the

losses involved the shifting of funds through a dealer in Oman

to the account of a company Ghosn effectively owned. The agency

did not cite any sources.

Sources have previously told Reuters that Nissan partner

Renault SA has alerted French prosecutors after

uncovering suspect payments to a partner in Oman.

Evidence sent to French prosecutors showed that much of the

cash was subsequently channelled to a Lebanese company

controlled by Ghosn associates, the sources said. Ghosn's French

lawyer has denied the allegations.

Ghosn has accused his former Nissan colleagues of

"backstabbing" and conspiring to oust him as chairman of Nissan.

He has described Nissan executives as selfish rivals bent on

derailing a closer alliance between the Japanese automaker and

its top shareholder, Renault.

The case has rocked the global auto industry and also shone

a harsh light on Japan's judicial system, which critics refer to

as "hostage justice" as defendants who deny their charges are

often not granted bail.

Under Japanese law, prosecutors are able to hold suspects

for up to 22 days without charge and interrogate them without

their lawyers present.

Reuters

Related Topics: