Carlos Ghosn: Interpol issues ‘red notice’ for Nissan ex-boss’s arrest

Lebanon has received a “red notice” from Interpol for the arrest of fugitive ex-Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn.

The request was received by Lebanon’s internal security forces on Thursday and is yet to be referred to the judiciary, Reuters news agency reports.

Mr Ghosn, who was facing trial in Japan for alleged financial misconduct, arrived in Beirut on New Year’s Eve.

The private jet on which he escaped reportedly landed in Istanbul first, prompting an investigation by Turkey.

An Interpol “red notice” is a request to police across the world to provisionally arrest a person pending extradition, surrender or other similar legal action.

However, Lebanon has no extradition treaty with Japan.

Mr Ghosn had posted 1bn yen (£6.8m; $8.9m) in bail in Japan last April, ahead of his trial. He said on his arrival in Lebanon he had “escaped injustice and political persecution”.

On Thursday, Mr Ghosn said media speculation that his wife had played a role in his escape was “inaccurate and false”, adding: “I alone arranged for my departure.”

According to Turkish media, Mr Ghosn’s private jet landed at Istanbul’s Ataturk airport at 05:30 (02:30 GMT) on Monday, having flown from Japan’s Kansai airport in Osaka.

The Hurriyet news website quoted interior ministry officials as saying that Turkish border police had not been told Mr Ghosn was on the plane and he had not been registered as entering or leaving the country.

However, there has been no official comment on the case.

Mr Ghosn, who was also boss of French car-maker Renault, has been under investigation in France but no charges have been laid.

Reuters on Thursday quoted sources close to Mr Ghosn as saying he decided to flee after finding out his trial had been delayed until April 2021.

They said he was also “distressed” at being prevented from communicating with his wife, Carole, who is in Lebanon.

Mr Ghosn spent 108 days in custody after his arrest in Tokyo in November 2018.

Nissan sacked him three days after his arrest.

Prosecutors allege that he made a multi-million-dollar payment to a Nissan distributor in Oman. Nissan, meanwhile, has filed its own criminal complaint against Mr Ghosn, accusing him of diverting money from the company for his own personal enrichment.

He is also accused of underreporting his own salary. Mr Ghosn denies all the charges. -CNN