Nissan’s former chairman Carlos Ghosn subject to strict conditions if he gets bail

A lawyer for Nissan former chairman Carlos Ghosn, who was taken back into custody last week, has outlined the conditions for his initial release on bail in an effort to clarify what he called incorrect speculation in the Japanese media.

Ghosn, accused of financial misconduct, was arrested in November, but released in March. He was detained again on fresh allegations on Thursday.

It is unusual in Japan for a suspect who cleared bail to be arrested again.

Takashi Takano listed the conditions in a blog post late on Saturday, which include restricting Ghosn to using only one computer, which is in his lawyer’s office, and one mobile phone. It is the first time such conditions, set by the Tokyo district court, were disclosed in detail.

Ghosn, 65, who led Nissan for two decades, has said he is innocent.

The conditions also said Ghosn must turn over his passport, have a camera monitoring his apartment doorway and keep a record of his phone calls and people he meets, besides his family and lawyers, Takano said.

Ghosn is forbidden from fleeing or tampering with evidence, and from meeting some people, including Greg Kelly, a Nissan board member suspected of collaborating with Ghosn, Nissan chief executive Hiroto Saikawa and others who may be witnesses in the case, he said.

The court has approved Ghosn’s detention until 14 April. His legal team is seeking to overturn that, arguing he already cleared the conditions for his release. The detention can be extended if the court approves the prosecutors’ request.

Prosecutors say the latest allegations are separate from the earlier charges, and Ghosn may tamper with evidence. Ghosn’s legal team argues that prosecutors have already raided Ghosn’s homes and taken everything.

While prosecutors can interrogate Ghosn daily at Tokyo detention centre, Ghosn’s time to work on his defence with his lawyers will become limited.

Japan has been criticised for long detentions without convictions, which critics say can lead to false confessions.

Ghosn has been charged with falsifying securities documents and having Nissan shoulder personal investment losses. The latest allegations centre around Ghosn diverting a portion of money paid by a Nissan subsidiary to an Oman dealership business.

Ghosn says the compensation, which was for his retirement, was never decided or paid, the investment losses were never suffered and the payments were for legitimate services.

The date for his trial has not yet been set. Nissan, allied with Renault of France, is holding a shareholders’ meeting on Monday to get approval to oust Ghosn from its board.

Ghosn holds French, Brazilian and Lebanese citizenship.

His wife, Carole, has flown to Paris to appeal to the French government to help her husband, the Financial Times reported on Sunday.

“I think the French government should do more for him. I don’t think they’ve done enough. I don’t think he’s had enough support and he’s calling for assistance. As a French citizen, it should be a right”, she said.

(THE GUARDIAN)