Ghosn says he was warned of 'inside plot'
Carlos Ghosn, the former Nissan boss who escaped justice in Japan told Reuters this week a French ambassador tipped him off, saying Ghosn's own company was plotting against him.
In an extensive interview in his Beirut home on Tuesday (14 January 2020), Ghosn recalled what happened 24 hours after his arrest in November 2018.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) EX-NISSAN CHIEF, CARLOS GHOSN, SAYING:
"Frankly, I was shocked by the motive of the arrest and the first thing I asked is make sure Nissan knows about it so they can send me a lawyer. And the second day, 24 hours from this, I received a visit from the French ambassador. And the French ambassador told me: 'Nissan is turning against you'. And this is where I realised that the whole thing was a plot."
Former Nissan CEO Hiroto Saikawa, said he felt disappointed after his ex-boss fled Japan last month, Ghosn faced allegations of misusing company funds.
(SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) FORMER NISSAN CHIEF EXECUTIVE, HIROTO SAIKAWA, SAYING:
"He (Ghosn) was my trusted boss and we were heavily betrayed by him once. And this time I feel I have been greatly betrayed by him for the second time."
Saikawa was forced to resign last year after admitting that he had received improper compensation.
He denies the allegation by Ghosn that the ouster of his former boss was a "coup".
Ghosn was widely respected for rescuing the carmaker from near-bankruptcy.
It has put Japan's criminal justice system under international scrutiny.
Concerns have focused on long detention periods and keeping defense lawyers out of interrogations, which can last eight hours a day.
