TOKYO, JAN 2
The former boss of auto giant Nissan fled Japan hidden inside a musical instrument box, media reports have said. Carlos Ghosn, 65, was facing trial in Japan over allegations of financial wrongdoing, but he managed to travel to Lebanon despite being under 24-hour surveillance and his lawyers having his passports.
Lebanese TV claimed a Gregorian band went to Ghosn’s home in Tokyo to play at a dinner. He then hid in one of the boxes used for musical instruments, in an operation that involved ex-special forces, it said.
Officials in Lebanon, where Ghosn grew up, said he entered the country legally and no action would be taken against him. Lebanon does not have an extradition treaty with Japan. Ghosn on Tuesday said: “I have not fled justice – I have escaped injustice.”
Ghosn was arrested in November 2018, charged with falsifying financial statements. He denied all the charges and accused senior Nissan executives of “plotting” his downfall.
Ghosn’s Tokyo life was under strict monitoring
The imposing home where Ghosn lived for the last seven months and probably launched a daring escape to avoid Japanese prosecutors is nestled in a leafy enclave of Tokyo where most people pay little attention to Westerners or luxury cars.
Yet neighbours say it was impossible not to notice one of the world’s most famous executives, or the black car that seemed to idle nearby whenever he was around – a stark reminder of the surveillance on the ousted Nissan Motor co-chairman while out on bail for financial misconduct charges.
Ghosn said he had fled to Lebanon to escape a “rigged” justice system in Japan, an astonishing revelation that raises questions about how one of the world’s most-recognised businessmen slipped past authorities, especially after he had surrendered his passports under the terms of his bail.
Hana Takeda, who lives in an apartment close to the house where Ghosn has lived since May, said she would sometimes see him out walking with one of his three daughters.
“He wasn’t very secretive. I would see him hanging around with his daughter,” Takeda, 28, said.
The large, multi-level house is not far from the central Roppongi district in an area popular with diplomats and western executives. There is a police presence because of the proximity of at least one embassy and houses for diplomats. Many homes had western luxury cars parked outside, including BMWs, Land Rovers and Bentleys.
Three wireless security cameras peered out from the balcony above the brick porch. Under the terms of his bail, Ghosn had to have cameras installed at the house’s entrance.
Another neighbour, 62-year-old American Whitney Rich, said he had sometimes noticed a black car near the house.
It was unclear how Ghosn, who holds French, Brazilian and Lebanese citizenship, was able to orchestrate his departure from Japan. He entered Lebanon legally on a French passport, one source has told Reuters.
Ghosn was tightly monitored – a fact that has made his escapes all the more spectacular. Authorities had monitored and restricted his movement and communications to prevent him, they said, from fleeing or tampering with evidence. Courtesy: REUTERS.
