Carlos Ghosn started testifying before French judges in a courtroom in Beirut on Monday.
As Ghosn enters a questioning process that will unfold over the course of 5 days, his three lawyers have issued a statement noting “irregularities” in the legal proceedings against him, according to Reuters.
The defense team said the irregularities undermine the legal proceedings being organized by the Lebanese judicial authorities, adding that the former Nissan chairman would not be allowed to dispute the case’s legality because he would be testifying as a witness.
As such, the lawyers have requested that Ghosn “be afforded the status of ‘indicted,’ as only this would allow him to challenge the legal flaws surrounding the case.”
Ghosn, who has been expecting a visit to Beirut from French investigators for months, is being questioned over allegations of financial misconduct in France, which he has denied repeatedly.
The case involves expenses covered by a Dutch subsidiary of Renault and Nissan Motor Co.
French authorities have been investigating interactions between Ghosn and a car distributor in Oman since Ghosn‘s arrest in Japan in 2018.
They have also been looking into expenditures made by the former auto executive on trips and events that might have been personal,
“Why should I flee the French judiciary? I will answer the questions that come my way. I have a clear conscience,” the fugitive, who is wanted by Interpol, said during an interview in late 2020 when he announced that he would be questioned by French investigators.
In more recent televised remarks, Ghosn affirmed his readiness for questioning, sharing new details about his life in Lebanon and his notorious escape from Japan’s grip.
