est detention, prosecutors argued Ghosn may tamper with evidence related to the new allegations. Prosecutors had earlier fought against bail for Ghosn, a citizen of France, Brazil and Lebanon, arguing he was a flight risk.
Ghosn’s lawyer, Junichiro Hironaka, pointed out that prosecutors have already raided Ghosn’s property and taken everything, leaving little to tamper with. He accused prosecutors of trying to silence Ghosn, who had tweeted he was planning a news conference next week to tell “the truth about what was happening.”
Stephen Givens, an American who practices law in Japan, said the latest accusations are more serious than the previous charges because they imply Ghosn pocketed the money, while the earlier charges were technical offenses that didn’t harm Nissan or lead to personal gain.
Nevertheless, Givens noted there were no grounds for detaining Ghosn again, as he had already satisfied a court that he won't flee or tamper with evidence or witnesses.
Mark Levin, professor of law at the University of Hawaii, said he was worried about Japan’s international image, noting the nation’s appeal with future global business talent may suffer.
The arrest “has the plain look of an attempt to muzzle his ability to present his case to the public,” he said.
Ghosn’s case and the extended detention without a conviction are drawing scrutiny of Japan’s criminal justice system, long criticized as “hostage justice.”
Legal experts say Ghosn’s previous release on bail came relatively quickly, and many defendants endure months, in extreme cases more than a year, of incarceration while they await trial.
Ghosn, who led Nissan for two decades before his downfall, said he wasn’t giving up.
“I will not be broken. I am innocent of the groundless charges and accusations against me,” he said in a statement Thursday.
