Ghosn flies to Lebanon, blasts ‘rigged’ Japanese justice

Ghosn flies to Lebanon, blasts ‘rigged’ Japanese justice

Tue, 2019-12-31 01:55

BEIRUT: Former Nissan chief Carlos Ghosn, who was awaiting trial in Japan on financial misconduct charges, confirmed Tuesday he had flown to Lebanon, the latest stunning twist in a rollercoaster journey that saw him fall from boardroom to detention center.

In a statement, the 65-year-old tycoon said he would "no longer be held hostage by a rigged Japanese justice system, where guilt is presumed, discrimination is rampant, and basic human rights are denied.“

"I have not fled justice “” I have escaped injustice and political persecution,“ said Ghosn, who vowed to communicate "freely“ with the media "starting next week.“

It is not clear how he managed to leave Japan, as his bail conditions prevent him from exiting the country he had been held in since his sudden arrest in November 2018 sent shockwaves through the business world.

He and his lawyers have repeatedly voiced fears over the impossibility of a fair trial in Japan and have called for the case to be thrown out, citing mis-steps by the prosecutors' office.

Lebanese media reported Ghosn had flown by private plane from Turkey to Lebanon, where his parents were born and where he spent most of his childhood, after arriving there as a toddler.

Many Lebanese