TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s prosecutor’s office searched the home of former Nissan President Carlos Ghosn in Tokyo after his escape to Lebanon while on bail and awaiting a trial for alleged financial mismanagement. Even Tokyo prosecutors and police immediately commented on Thursday. Japanese media reported and showed photos of the search.
The Japanese government offices are closed this week for the New Year’s holiday.At the moment it is not clear how Ghosn managed to avoid the fierce surveillance to which he was subjected in the country to leave for Lebanon.The former executive said in a statement that Tuesday he fled because he believes the Japanese judicial system is unfair and wanted to avoid “political persecution.” Ghosn said he’ll talk to reporters next week. Japan has no extradition agreement with Lebanon, which noted that Ghosn entered the country legally and that there is no reason to take action against it. His lawyers in Japan said they were unaware of his plan to leave and kept all of his passports. Ghosn has French, Lebanese and Brazilian nationality. Japan’s public television television, NHK TV, reported Thursday, citing unidentified sources, that Ghosn had two French passports. Previously, the local press reported that there was no official record of the departure of the country’s manager, but a private plane departed from a regional airport to Turkey.Ghosn, who was accused of not correctly reporting his future compensation and abuse of trust, was He pleaded not guilty on several occasions alleging that the authorities manufactured the charges to prevent possible total merger between Nissan Motor Co. and its partner Renault SA. The bail of 1.5 billion yen ($14 million) that the former executive deposited twice in order to get out of prison was revoked.
