crime

French magistrates question Ghosn in Beirut

38 Comments
By BASSEM MROUE and ZEINA KARAM

The requested article has expired, and is no longer available. Any related articles, and user comments are shown below.

© Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.


38 Comments
Login to comment

French magistrates question Ghosn in Beirut, two French lawyers representing Ghosn along with one Lebanese attorney

Whatever result he will get from French at least it will be result of fairer compared Japanese one. Even his Japanese lawyer explain how Japanese hostage justice system works.

http://blog.livedoor.jp/plltakano/archives/65954250.html

Ghosn’s defense team said they have “already identified serious procedural irregularities in the French dossiers." The defense team said “abnormalities, which undermine the judicial process, are the result of the peculiar methods of the Japanese investigation” that was the primary source for building the French cases.

Now he can start to see actual Japanese result of his investigation from that French dossiers. His version of story now can be treated as official version.

-6 ( +21 / -27 )

I do not believe the charges that the French are pursuing are the same as those Ghosn is facing in Japan. So really, comments about the Japanese justice system are not revelant to this article.

Even if they were the same, whatever Ghosn presents to the French in Lebanon has no legal weight as it's outside Japanese jurisdiction anyway. Ghosn has chosen not to be represented in Japan to answer the charges and attempt to prove his innocence. This is the reality.

-1 ( +25 / -26 )

Good! Let the truth come out! Interesting how he is welcoming the inquiries with open arms. Guilty people seldom do.

-3 ( +23 / -26 )

This is like Champions league.

Ghosn: 3 - Japan: 0 (first weeks of detention)

Japan: 2 - Ghosn: 0 (Father and son’s extradition to Japan).

Netherlands: 1 - Ghosn: 0 (Dutch court ruling)

France - Ghosn (Starting live now...)

10 ( +19 / -9 )

prove his innocence

You are not presumed innocent in Japan, you must prove it.

Not a chance that japanese justice will ever get out of their obscure cave.

-1 ( +25 / -26 )

@Bokuda

You are not presumed innocent in Japan, you must prove it.

Sadly this is true most of the time, at least the French justice system is not as bad.

0 ( +20 / -20 )

Innocent.

-10 ( +13 / -23 )

I say he is guilty , and was just plain greedy . For too long the elite have held too much power and money , let this be a lesson for all the other conniving billionaires of the world

6 ( +22 / -16 )

Should stand trial in France, and if guilty do his time. On release deported to the Nederland's and if guilty, then do his time. Then on release, deported to Japan, imprisoned on skipping bail, then after his release on this crime, have his chance to defend himself on more serious crimes. Do his time.

That is justice.

3 ( +18 / -15 )

If Ghosn was completely innocent, he would not have run off to a corrupt nation-state like Lebanon where he can hide from any negative legal proceedings. Whether or not he is guilty of taking financial advantage of his position as CEO, it can never be adjudicated in a place like Lebanon. I thought he arrogantly crossed the line with his self-dealing “perks” as CEO in a publicly-held corporation, but so have many other CEOs in other times.

0 ( +24 / -24 )

I got a better idea.

The Japanese prosecutors should go to Lebanon to interrogate Ghosn and finish the investigation at once.

1 ( +22 / -21 )

So, Ghosn had a meeting with other intelligent adults with probably more moral character than the J-prosecutors and Nissan executives!

-4 ( +16 / -20 )

KansaiTen

If Ghosn was completely innocent, he would not have run off to a corrupt nation-state like Lebanon where he can hide from any negative legal proceedings. Whether or not he is guilty of taking financial advantage of his position as CEO, it can never be adjudicated in a place like Lebanon. I thought he arrogantly crossed the line with his self-dealing “perks” as CEO in a publicly-held corporation, but so have many other CEOs in other times.

Faulty Logic! Innocent people in various countries around the world have been arrested and executed.

If Nissan and the J-government had a real case then would have present evidence by now!

0 ( +17 / -17 )

Ossanamerica they are very relevant. True justice cannot be achieved in the Japanese system

-3 ( +16 / -19 )

Donjon is Oman route. Renault is also the same victim. Hope French justice is real and has guts as Dutch was.

8 ( +15 / -7 )

The Japanese prosecutors should go to Lebanon to interrogate Ghosn and finish the investigation at once.

Investigate that he skipped bail and illegally left the country putting six people in jail for his ego?

3 ( +15 / -12 )

Investigate that he skipped bail and illegally left the country putting six people in jail for his ego?

Yes, they should... absolutely.

They need to know what makes people escape from them.

-11 ( +7 / -18 )

LOL, yeah right they just jump bail and leave their co-workers holding the bag.

Because of a justice system on par with China's

-6 ( +14 / -20 )

Mr. Ghosn seems to have ‘surrounded himself well’ with a significant ‘defense team’. Or maybe, the rather casually-attired male in the accompanying photo is just ‘a chauffeur’ who transported them to and from the Beirut Palace of Justice?

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Maybe a classic case of "If mother says no, then ask grandmother", where he is looking for redemption or approval anywhere he can get it?

As others have mentioned, it has absolutely no bearing on legal proceedings in Japan.

He is a fugitive.

8 ( +19 / -11 )

That all pushes the costs for Japan or France only up. Against that global Lebanese clans and deep woven spider net of Druses religious members etc. no entity or single state has the slightest chance. They even own whole city quarters in European cities, they trick and infiltrate police in several countries and of course they easily manage to flee spectacular like in this Ghosn case. No way, that’s comparable to Mafia, Medellin drug cartel and Yakuza combined….lol

8 ( +14 / -6 )

If France can send their magistrates to Lebanon, why can't Japan? We all know the answer to that - Japanese prosecutors can't do their job in front of real lawyers.

-3 ( +14 / -17 )

Because of a justice system on par with China's

Japan justice system is more like that of North Korea.

-2 ( +14 / -16 )

What would they do next if they find him culpable of the charges against him, request him to go to France and lock himself up?

10 ( +12 / -2 )

At this point we can see that France at least have a honest and fair justice system caring of human rights rather than some archipelago with inquisitors.

-9 ( +9 / -18 )

Because of a justice system on par with China's

Japan justice system is more like that of North Korea.

I humbly stand corrected

-5 ( +9 / -14 )

The Japanese legal people could learn from watching this.

”Heeeeh? They let him use the bathroom AND have lunch? Sugoi!”

-3 ( +11 / -14 )

I like these types of hearings. Its very comfortable. I am sure the French judges also have terrific time in Beirut.

6 ( +8 / -2 )

Mr Ghosn is an innocent man as we all know. The victim of little nissan's conspiracy. At least now he can clear all this nonsense up in front of proper law officials from France. No wonder the japanese "prosecutors" won't go as they would be totally shown up as the pathetic incompetent hopeless" law officials" that they are.

-6 ( +9 / -15 )

Oh and yes Mr.Ghosn is still innocent until proven guilty.

This is how it works in real civilized democracies

8 ( +10 / -2 )

I am so happy Mr Ghosn managed to escape from his japan hellhole to his place of safety. The japanese "prosecutors" should man up and go out to see Mr Ghosn in Lebanon just as the French prosecutors have. But we all know they never will as they have absolutely no case. It was all nissan's plot and thus worthless and without merit.

5 ( +8 / -3 )

Maybe a classic case of "If mother says no, then ask grandmother", where he is looking for redemption or approval anywhere he can get it?

As others have mentioned, it has absolutely no bearing on legal proceedings in Japan.

He is a fugitive.

Redemption from what, he has not appeared in any court.

Fugitive? Maybe only according to Japan's so-called justice system.

2 ( +6 / -4 )

let this be a lesson for all the other conniving billionaires of the world.

Off topic? What are you talking about?

1 ( +4 / -3 )

Oh and yes Mr.Ghosn is still innocent until proven guilty.

This is how it works in real civilized democracies

He is not. and you don't have to prove it.

-5 ( +1 / -6 )

What a waste of time , one man will destroy the French and Japanese judicial systems !!!!!!

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Just checking, if Ghosn (presumed innocent) was still in Japan now, would his trial have started?

Why did it take so long for Kelly’s trial to start?

Wouldn’t you think these things should happen expeditiously if there was a presumption of innocence?

If the trial finds the accused not guilty, how much of the life has an innocent had taken from them?

5 ( +6 / -1 )

""" Ghosn lawyer said Monday's meeting was “the very first time of justice” for Ghosn since being arrested in Japan, adding that it was “the first time he could explain himself in front of judges with his lawyers seated near him and after preparing his defense.”

“So it was a very important day for him today and he was very happy to give all the answers to all the questions asked by the French judges,” he said."""

I am glad that Mr. Ghose will have his day in court in NORMAL fashion.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

One thing we know for sure is that Mr. Ghosn lived, worked , Bailed & promoted Nissan, paid taxes, followed the rules, has friends, had a family, did all the things any other person would do when living in a host country.

Now things went wrong at some point, NO need to go into that mess, but my point is If Mr. Ghosn, His lawyers, his supporters and his family felt that could have a FAIR trial, he would still be in Japan facing the music.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Login to leave a comment

Facebook users

Use your Facebook account to login or register with JapanToday. By doing so, you will also receive an email inviting you to receive our news alerts.

Facebook Connect

Login with your JapanToday account

User registration

Articles, Offers & Useful Resources

A mix of what's trending on our other sites