Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

World

Japan prosecutors issue warrants over Ghosn escape

-

Japanese prosecutors on Thursday issued arrest warrants for a former US special forces operative and two other people accused of helping former Nissan chief Carlos Ghosn jump bail and flee the country.

The prosecutors also issued a warrant for Ghosn for leaving the country illegally, after he escaped to Lebanon via Turkey last month.

Warrants were issued for Michael Taylor, 59, reportedly a former US special forces operative-turned-security consultant, 26-year-old Peter Taylor, who local media identified as his son, and George Zayek, 60.

They are suspected of taking Ghosn to a hotel in Osaka, western Japan, and hiding him inside a case before taking him to Kansai airport where they allegedly helped him evade a security inspection.

The warrants are the first official confirmation of the reported details about how Ghosn slipped past security and jumped bail shortly after Christmas.

Ghosn has refused to confirm or deny the various reports on how he gave Japanese authorities the slip.

The escape of perhaps the most high-profile suspect on bail in Japan left officials red-faced and they have demanded Ghosn returns to face trial.

Lebanondoes not have an extradition treaty with Japan.

Ghosn was arrested in November 2018 and faced four charges of financial misconduct, which he denies.

He has said he did not believe he would get a fair trial, and accused Nissan executives opposed to his plans to integrate the firm further with its French partner Renault of effectively cooking up the charges against him.

Japanese prosecutors on Thursday issued arrest warrants for a former US special forces operative and two other people accused of helping former Nissan chief Carlos Ghosn jump bail and flee the country.

The prosecutors also issued a warrant for Ghosn for leaving the country illegally, after he escaped to Lebanon via Turkey last month.

Warrants were issued for Michael Taylor, 59, reportedly a former US special forces operative-turned-security consultant, 26-year-old Peter Taylor, who local media identified as his son, and George Zayek, 60.

They are suspected of taking Ghosn to a hotel in Osaka, western Japan, and hiding him inside a case before taking him to Kansai airport where they allegedly helped him evade a security inspection.

The warrants are the first official confirmation of the reported details about how Ghosn slipped past security and jumped bail shortly after Christmas.

Ghosn has refused to confirm or deny the various reports on how he gave Japanese authorities the slip.

The escape of perhaps the most high-profile suspect on bail in Japan left officials red-faced and they have demanded Ghosn returns to face trial.

Lebanondoes not have an extradition treaty with Japan.

Ghosn was arrested in November 2018 and faced four charges of financial misconduct, which he denies.

He has said he did not believe he would get a fair trial, and accused Nissan executives opposed to his plans to integrate the firm further with its French partner Renault of effectively cooking up the charges against him.

AFP
Written By

With 2,400 staff representing 100 different nationalities, AFP covers the world as a leading global news agency. AFP provides fast, comprehensive and verified coverage of the issues affecting our daily lives.

You may also like:

World

The world's biggest economy grew 1.6 percent in the first quarter, the Commerce Department said.

Business

Electric cars from BYD, which topped Tesla as the world's top seller of EVs in last year's fourth quarter, await export at a Chinese...

World

Former US President Donald Trump attends his trial for allegedly covering up hush money payments linked to extramarital affairs - Copyright AFP PATRICIA DE...

Business

A diver in Myanmar works to recover a sunken ship in the Yangon River, plunging down to attach cables to the wreck and using...