The Lebanese Public Prosecutor Judge Ghassan Oueidat summoned businessman Carlos Ghosn for an interrogation session so the Ex-Nissan chairman can clarify suspicions and accusations held against him.
The session was at 10:00 am on Thursday, January 9 at the Palace of Justice in Beirut.
Investigators listened to Ghosn‘s testimony that addressed the content of the red bulletin issued by the Japanese judiciary system, which accuses him of misconduct on Japanese soil.
The interrogation was held by Lebanon’s Chief of Criminal Investigation Dean Maurice Abou Zeidan under the supervision of Lebanon’s Public Prosecution Discriminatory.
The session also addressed allegations made by Lebanese lawyers that accused Ghosn of violating Lebanon’s 1955 Boycott Law by traveling to Israel and visiting Israeli leaders.
After the interrogation finished, the statement was referred to Lebanon’s Public Prosecutor Judge Ghassan Oueidat to make a decision that suits Lebanon and its laws according to the Constitution of Lebanon.
Judge Oueidat decided to grant Ghosn a residency document in the file of the Red Notice issued by Interpol, which will allow him to stay in Lebanon. According to AFP, Lebanon has also issued a travel ban against the businessman.
Ghosn has been accused of financial wrongdoings and misconduct in Japan and was on house arrest as of his escape.
Ghosn’s escape from his ban offended the state of Japan that has demanded several times for Lebanon to hand over the “fugitive.”
However, Lebanon and Japan do not have an extradition agreement that forces Lebanon to hand over fugitives, so the demands can also be considered as requests.
Adding that the Interpol notice is alleged to have a “procedural flaw,” Lebanon has not expressed interest in handing over Ghosn but has actually suggested putting him on trial in his homeland rather than Japan.
Ghosn’s legal team confirmed that he wanted to be tried in Lebanon ahead of the fugitive executive’s appearance at his first press conference since fleeing from Tokyo to Beirut.
A Beirut-based lawyer for Ghosn, Carlos Abou Jaoude, said trying him in Lebanon would involve either a handing over or a co-operation between the justice ministries of Japan and Lebanon.
