Apr 26 (Nikkei) - Former Nissan Motor Chairman Carlos Ghosn walked out of jail on Thursday night after the Tokyo District Court rejected an appeal by prosecutors to reverse its decision to grant bail.
Local television showed Ghosn, who was arrested for the fourth time in early April, leaving the building in a suit and white shirt before climbing into a black car.
His posture was a stark contrast to that of his previous release in early March, when he wore gray work clothes, a blue cap and a mask. One of his lawyers had acknowledged that the plot, intended to disguise Ghosn, had been a failure.
As one of the conditions of the bail granted earlier on Thursday, Ghosn has been separated from his wife.
The Brazilian-born tycoon is barred from contacting Carole Ghosn unless he notifies the court of the time and place he intends to speak to her. The condition was set because the latest allegation involves suspicions of an indirect transfer of Nissan funds to a company where she is president. Carole Ghosn was questioned as a witness in the investigation but not charged.
"I am grateful that bail has been granted," Ghosn said in a statement after his release. However, "restricting communications and contact between my wife and me is cruel and unnecessary," he added, maintaining that he is innocent and that he is committed to "vigorously defending [himself] against these meritless and unsubstantiated accusations."
The decision to limit Ghosn's contact with his wife is expected to spark a new wave of criticism over the workings of Japanese justice. Ghosn's first detention on previous charges lasted 108 days, during which he was barred from contact with his family for two months. "This is a huge human rights issue," said Takashi Takano, one of Ghosn's defense lawyers.
His release will allow his defense team to better prepare for trial on a string of allegations of financial misconduct. The latest charge brought by prosecutors earlier this month is expected to delay the scheduled September start date.
Source: ANNnewsCH
